Kicked out Sleep Dr's Practice. Dme-Dr in with each other?..

[metsfan302]

This is my orig sleep dr that sent me 3 years ago for a in lab sleep study and got me started on cpap. This is also the sleep dr who three weeks ago put in for another attended sleep study when my insurance rejected my family dr's request for a sleep study. The one my wife did not like the first time she met him and well I should of listened to my wife lol she thought he arrogant and he did not listen.

A couple weeks ago I called the dr's office to ask them if they could send a prescription to Cpap.com for a mask, So I would have it on file so I could buy masks etc with cash as I wanted too. I was told by the lady on the phone that I would have to wait to have a sleep study done before he would prescribe a mask. I informed her nicley that for the last 3 years i've been receiving supplies on a regular basis from the DME they referned me too. She then gets nasty - to a point were I will admit had me in tears. That they would/could only send a prescription to XYZ company (the one they sent me too). I explained that is untrue etc and I wanted them to send a mask prescription to cpap.com. She would not listen to me at all just continued being nasty. She then asked if I wanted to talk with the office manager, I did. 5mins pass, I am still just tore up at this point. She gets on and asks how can I help you - I first tell her that the woman I just spoke with was so nasty to me and if she treated people like that were I work she would not last long......... I explain the whole thing, that I am simply asking for a prescription for a mask, she says they could do that but the dr's not in it would be tomm - fine. I tell her I can fax her the request from cpap.com so the dr knows whats needed - she then goes I've never heard of that place, we can only send it to xyz company.... At this point I tell them nevermind forget I even asked and hung up.

Fast forward to yesterday.

I get in the mail a letter certified from my dr's office saying they are discontinuing out physician-patient relationship and there are 5 things listed, 1 being circled

Failure to follow medical advice
repeated failure to keep appts
Prescription Drug Abuse
Hostile/Abusive Behavior to Staff
Other

Circled is - Hostile/Abusive Behavior to Staff!

Wow, this so reminds me of the Sinfield Episode were Ellane tries to get Jerry and Kramer to get her medical file from the Dr's office as she was red flagged lol.

Also sent was a letter from my insurance telling me two things were denied

1. An Attended Sleep Study
2. CPAP Trial in a sleep lab (not sure what that is)

Approved is a at home sleep study, your doctor may request a home sleep study.......

I still have this Appt for a new sleep dr that i've had for three months - its Dec 22nd.

Ugg..... Sorry so long

Eric D.

[BlackSpinner]

Send a registered letter to them that you want a copy of your sleep study and prescription as required by law, ASAP.

By the way your regular doctor can write one for cpap.com.

Call your insurance and complain to them about the treatment you received.

[Julie]

Cpap trial in a sleep lab is the titration part of testing (the 2nd part), where they determine your pressures and MD bases his prescription on those.

[Cardsfan]

I'd send them a certified letter requesting a copy of your prescription and all test results. I read on here that is your legal right to get copies of those. So they probably will have to send it to you. That's how I got copies of my prescription. I just used regular mail though, because I wasn't on the "list" you and Elaine are on.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Are you saying your sleep doctor and DME might in bed together! That's downright dirty slander, it's unheard of <chuckles behind hand>

[Janknitz]

I would follow the advice above to get a copy of your sleep study and medical records and then file a complaint with the medical board. A doctor's office can no more dictate where you get your CPAP supplies than where you get your medication prescriptions filled. This does smell of conflict of interest. If the doctor's office is doing it to you, they are doing it to many others, who may not be smart enough to know they have a choice.

As for the doctor, good riddance if he permits his staff to act that way. The fact that they have a form letter with multiple choices tells you it happens often in that office.

[Sonnyboy]

This is my orig sleep dr that sent me 3 years ago for a in lab sleep study and got me started on cpap. This is also the sleep dr who three weeks ago put in for another attended sleep study when my insurance rejected my family dr's request for a sleep study. The one my wife did not like the first time she met him and well I should of listened to my wife lol she thought he arrogant and he did not listen.

A couple weeks ago I called the dr's office to ask them if they could send a prescription to Cpap.com for a mask, So I would have it on file so I could buy masks etc with cash as I wanted too. I was told by the lady on the phone that I would have to wait to have a sleep study done before he would prescribe a mask. I informed her nicley that for the last 3 years i've been receiving supplies on a regular basis from the DME they referned me too. She then gets nasty - to a point were I will admit had me in tears. That they would/could only send a prescription to XYZ company (the one they sent me too). I explained that is untrue etc and I wanted them to send a mask prescription to cpap.com. She would not listen to me at all just continued being nasty. She then asked if I wanted to talk with the office manager, I did. 5mins pass, I am still just tore up at this point. She gets on and asks how can I help you - I first tell her that the woman I just spoke with was so nasty to me and if she treated people like that were I work she would not last long......... I explain the whole thing, that I am simply asking for a prescription for a mask, she says they could do that but the dr's not in it would be tomm - fine. I tell her I can fax her the request from cpap.com so the dr knows whats needed - she then goes I've never heard of that place, we can only send it to xyz company.... At this point I tell them nevermind forget I even asked and hung up.

Fast forward to yesterday.

I get in the mail a letter certified from my dr's office saying they are discontinuing out physician-patient relationship and there are 5 reasons

Failure to follow medical advice
repeated failure to keep appts
Prescription Drug Abuse
Hostile/Abusive Behavior to Staff
Other

Circled is - Hostile/Abusive Behavior to Staff!

Wow, this so reminds me of the Sinfield Episode were Ellane tries to get Jerry and Kramer to get her medical file from the Dr's office as she was red flagged lol.

Also sent was a letter from my insurance telling me two things were denied

1. An Attended Sleep Study
2. CPAP Trial in a sleep lab (not sure what that is)

Approved is a at home sleep study, your doctor may request a home sleep study.......

I still have this Appt for a new sleep dr that i've had for three months - its Dec 22nd.

Ugg..... Sorry so long

Eric D.

I've read most if not all of your posts. The reason listed is not consistent with your behavior on this forum.
What concerns me about these types of letters from doctors is that they remain part of your medical record and may be provided to future doctor's and insurance companies requesting past medical records.

When you are calm and feeling good I suggest you consider adding your own statement to your medical record.

See:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/un ... cords.html
"Correcting information
If you think the information in your medical or billing record is incorrect, you can request that the health care provider or health plan amend the record. The health care provider or health plan must respond to your request. If it created the information, it must amend the information if it is inaccurate or incomplete. If the provider or plan does not agree to your request, you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement that the provider or plan must add to your record.

For further information on this topic, please refer to 45 C.F.R. §§ 164.508, 164.524 and 164.526, and OCR’s Frequently Asked Questions."

and

https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/2013/09/hipaaguide51/

[blownaway]

As down as I am on the medical industry, and all the poor treatment I've been subject to, I"ve not had anything this bad and I really have to bite my tongue here. A doc who maltreats his patients this badly is making money elsewhere, otherwise he could not stay in business. And it is a business, a point that many seem to overlook as bedside manner turns into no manners at all.

I needn't tell you how important that you file a complaint with appropriate board and state. Then get away from him ASAP which you already have. When regulators receive large numbers of complaints, that is what motivates them to investigate because not to do so is politically dangerous. Its like the Vatican ignoring their pedophile priests: the anthill grows into a mountain.

[Too tall]

Like Sonnyboy said,

Failure to follow medical advice
repeated failure to keep appts
Prescription Drug Abuse
Hostile/Abusive Behavior to Staff
Other

items 1,2,3? Where did that come from? an they prove that? I'd say good riddens as they won't be in business long anyway. But if those things aren't true, you might have a legal issue. Not a lawyer but I wouldn't those things in my record (which is now electronic) if they are not true.

[metsfan302]

Oh - Circled was only

Hostile/Abusive Behavior to staff

[Sonnyboy]

Oh - Circled was only

Hostile/Abusive Behavior to staff

Hi
I just realized that and edited my post.
In any event, I have never seen you hostile or abusive, sounds like you were appropriately angry.
Consider adding a letter to your medical record.

[HoseCrusher]

Eric and anyone else who is contemplating asking something similar.

The call should go something like this...

Hello, please send a copy of my prescription to (and give the information where it should be sent).

If they respond that is not possible, simply ask them to put that in writing and send it to you. Make sure you give them your address so they can get it to you.

At this point you simply hang up. No further discussion is needed.

When you receive the letter, send it to the medical board and ask for clarification and a specific request to the law that makes this request illegal.

If they refuse to send you the letter, send a letter to the physician along with a copy of the letter sent to the medical board.

While this is outrageous, you don't need to give them an ear full. Just mechanically go through the process and get it resolved without additional discussion.

[Sonnyboy]

Eric and anyone else who is contemplating asking something similar.

The call should go something like this...

Hello, please send a copy of my prescription to (and give the information where it should be sent).

If they respond that is not possible, simply ask them to put that in writing and send it to you. Make sure you give them your address so they can get it to you.

At this point you simply hang up. No further discussion is needed.

When you receive the letter, send it to the medical board and ask for clarification and a specific request to the law that makes this request illegal.

If they refuse to send you the letter, send a letter to the physician along with a copy of the letter sent to the medical board.

While this is outrageous, you don't need to give them an ear full. Just mechanically go through the process and get it resolved without additional discussion.

I like this. Thank you. Definitely a plan that will work.

But it can be difficult to do this when you are not feeling well and trying so hard to help yourself and being confronted with obstacles particularly when the obstacle is your provider and his staff. Anger is not the same as hostile and abusive.

[amenite]

If it's gotten to the point where I have to ask for records I would not do it by phone but rather in a letter stating clearly the request and reiterating the provider's obligations under the law. Sent via certified mail with return receipt for proof of delivery. It should be sufficient to convince them to do their due diligence under the law. If it's not it will serve as good supporting evidence if/when complaints are filed. They have 30 days to comply.

The call should go something like this...

[Heart Jumping]

My guess is this is probably less about the doctor and DME being in bed with one another and more likely just about a doctors office that is offended that the patient dares to want some level of control. "How dare you ask for a copy of your prescription, that's not the way we do it?"

They did you a huge favor by firing you, now you can find a better doctor.