new script?

[mommy's sleepy]

Hi All,
After two and a half years, I am ready to try Cpap therapy again. I was under the impression that a CPAP perscription never expired. Yet my DME is telling me I need a new one. Has anyone else had experience with this? Thanks!
G

[DaveMunson]

My prescriptions are suppose to expire in one year. Than again, after 5 years, I called my gp and asked for a new script and told him what I would like it to say.

[JohnBFisher]

Yup. After two years your DME and/or doctor will want to be certain the prescribed therapy will be effective. They are not trying to just "make money". Instead they are trying to avoid something that can make matters worse.

[JohnBFisher]

... after 5 years, I called my gp and asked for a new script and told him what I would like it to say. ...

If you and your GP have a relationship, and your GP knows you are doing well on the current prescribed therapy, then there is not an issue. If your GP does not know you from Adam's house cat, then it would be inappropriate for you to get such a prescription. It happens all the time. But still after 2 years too much might have changed. Is the prescribed pressure adequate? Has the patient gained weight? Has age caused the muscles to relax more during sleep? It might be fine. It might not. What if it led to harm (due to worse sleep or increased apneas or central apneas)? Most doctors won't provide such a prescription without some basis to know that it would work. And I can't say I blame them.

[Autopapdude]

Unless a doctor writes "lifetime" on a prescription, I do believe that there is an expiration date, subject to state laws. It doesn't take a sleep doctor to write a script if they know you and can do so in good conscience and medical judgement. Either of my two doctors ( GP, and IM doctor) are willing to do so, based on my aggregate data that I share with them from my machine. Thus, they aren't doing something with no basis in fact.

[Wulfman]

Hi All,
After two and a half years, I am ready to try Cpap therapy again. I was under the impression that a CPAP perscription never expired. Yet my DME is telling me I need a new one. Has anyone else had experience with this? Thanks!
G

Do you still have your CPAP?
Do you have your prescription? (physical document)

If you still have your prescription, it is (or should be) good for life when purchasing from an online seller like CPAP.COM.

You would probably be better off (money-wise) by going through CPAP.COM.......especially considering that you'd have to pay for doctors' appointments and possible deductibles and co-pays.


Den

[rjjayrt]

regardless of what the physician writes on the RX most states state that a doctors prescription expires in 1 year. Not sure of which states are different. Its my understanding that something like 47 states use 1 year not sure what the other 3 would be. Cpap.com would have to comply with what ever state there licensed in as far as an expired prescription.

[Wulfman]

The way I read the following is that if it does NOT have an expiration date, it doesn't expire.

Den


https://www.cpap.com/cpap-faq/Prescriptions.html#221

Will an old prescription meet requirements or do I need a new one?

Some prescriptions are written for a "Lifetime Need" or "99 Months" and can be used to get the prescribed equipment as often as needed to continue therapy.

If a prescription notes a number of refills, it will be valid to dispense the listed equipment the referenced number of times.

If a prescription notes an expiration date, it is valid through the listed date.

We will gladly review a prescription for you to determine its condition.

[DaveMunson]

Most doctors won't provide such a prescription without some basis to know that it would work.

I would hope not.

[jules]

there is the "order" for cpap and there are rx's for drugs

a DME wants a recent "order" in order to be reimbursed by insurance - 2 1/2 years old probably doesn't do

as Den as pointed out if you buy at cpap.com all you need is any old order for the appropriate kind of machine as you are bypassing this "insurance" issue and paying for it upfront

so the OP needs to figure out if she wants to use the local DME or buy online and if she wants to use the local DME she has to follow their (and her insurance's) rules