lincare complaints

[SewTired]

Sew Tired, I had no idea about this until you mentioned the info to me. So thank you for letting me know.

So sorry. Anyway, when you look at your new card, you will see a little tab. When you put it into your computer, you'll want to 'lock' it by moving the tab over. After you've uploaded your data to Sleepyhead and removed your card from the computer, then move the tab back. Unlike the Resmed machines, the 560 series can't tell you if the card is locked or not. You will get the same message no matter where the tab is. So, you just have to remember that right after a download, remove the card, and move the tab. You might want to mark it with a silver pen (if you have a black sd card).

[CPAPNightmare]

My account was transferred to Lincare from American Home Patient. When I had not heard from AHP regarding CPAP supplies I had to call them to learn of the switch. I was provided a number to Lincare to order supplies. When I reached a customer service representative, I provided them all my information and was assured that I would receive my supplies within 7-10 business days. My supplies never arrived, and about 3 weeks later I called to inquire as to why. I learned that they had an old mailing address and were unable to deliver. I provided them (again) my correct address and was assured that they would arrive in 7-10 business days. Again, no luck. During this time frame i did see that my insurer was billed and payment was made some time ago. I called again and provided my updated information to another CSR who apologized and assured me that I would receive my supplies. I again provided updated information and asked an additional question regarding why my insurer was invoiced twice on the same date some time ago. I was transferred to billing and my questions were answered promptly. Just out of curiosity i asked what they were showing for my mailing address, and surprise surprise ,,, still the incorrect address. I asked them to make a change and they assured me they did so. The following day while out shopping i received a call from a Lincare representative inquiring if I was ready for more CPAP supplies ... to which I inquired I would still like the ones I ordered several weeks ago. I was now unable to use my machine and relegated to sleeping in the spare bedroom to save my wife the agony. I inquired as to what address this CSR had on their screen and was told there were two addresses listed. I've written to Lincare with no response and have now been sleepless and without a device for two weeks! We all make mistakes and times of transition are never easy ,,, but the lack of responsiveness is unacceptable.

[Okie bipap]

It's time to notify your insurance company that they paid for services that were not delivered. Also notify your state insurance regulators about possible insurance fraud.

[renatae]

I have had good experience with the reps from Lincare. They are not my CPAP provider, but when I was hospitalized I supposedly was dropping O2 sats very low while I slept, so the staff pulmo ordered O2 for home use. It was a Sunday when I was discharged, and the guy beat me home! He was pretty thorough, but after he left, I found there was a ton of papers, but no instruction booklet. Other than that, I couldn't complain. I also do at home prothrombin testing, and they brought out the meter and demonstrated it, and I was satisfied.

The billing department, however, what a nightmare!

In January, my Medicare deductible had not been met when they billed me. I paid the bill with my bank's Bill Pay feature. The next month, I received the same bill. I sent a note saying it was paid with a copy of a page from my bank showing the debit and transaction number. The next month, the same thing! No response to my note, just another bill. I sent a note again with the same transaction page from the bank. The next month - the same - another bill without response to my earlier communication. I called the number they listed on the letter they sent - "We are sorry you seem to have no intention of paying this bill and are ignoring our efforts to resolve this matter." The nerve!

I spent half an hour on the phone with a rep who was polite, but asked me the same questions multiple times. The conversation was concluding when we were somehow cut off. Figuring I'd never get the same rep again, I waited for her to call me back, but that never happened. After the conversation, I had managed to get a copy of the actual check, which I mailed in with yet another note, which was again ignored, and I was sent yet another notice threatening collection. This time, my husband called the listed number and was told "We don't handle that here." I sent another note, and a complaint about their lack of attention to my efforts and asking why they were so inefficient and didn't even seem to be able to provide a correct number to call.

Next month, same thing. I called this time, and got the same rep who had spoken to my husband the previous month. She was not polite at all, and informed me, finally!, that the matter was "under investigation" and I would continue to receive those notices until they resolved the matter! Two months after I provided a check copy showing they cashed it and they had not accepted that they were wrong? I sent a complaint to an address I got from the website, and you guessed it, they ignored me still.

Thank the Lord I had a new sleep test, showing I did not need oxygen at night. This equipment is going back and any further bills I get from them will be ripped up and thrown into the trash. I know how to ignore people too.

[phuqueutoo]

Does anyone else do business with Lincare? The local office I am dealing with are so rude and incompetent! The billing department can't get the bills right after 10 months and the supply company sends me the wrong items! I clearly need to get a new DME. The local office doesn't even have a respiratory therapist on board. They have an LPN doing the mask fittings but she is clueless even with that job. Even the person answering the phone has an attitude. I feel as a client/cpap patient I would like a little support with all this and especially patience with getting me off in running with all things cpap. Sorry for the rant. Does anyone know where I can send a letter to the main office to voice my complaints before I move on?

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lincare seems to be small
so the local offices probably vary a lot
my local office is doing a good job for me

OTOH AHC which is much larger sucked big time and was worthless
what they did to me had negative value and never helped at all
plus they never answer their phones, stand you up on appointments, and are incompetent (the ones i ran into were anyway)

And if anyone knows incompetence....

[SewTired]

renatae, you should file a complaint with Medicare when things don't get fixed. I would normally step it up and contact the regional office about this issue. Then if no resolution, contact Medicare. There is a complaint form at Medicare.gov. Have your paperwork together so that you can detail the entire complaint rather than trying to do it from memory. I never use bill pay, but I know my brother had problems with bill pay payments not getting credited at some places (not Lincare because his supplemental pays everything Medicare does not).

[renatae]

Thank you, SewTired! I may have to resort to this. At the moment, I'm just sick of dealing with it. And yes, at the beginning of this month, I received another dunning notice, same as the others, not acknowledging my notes, nor saying my payment was under investigation. I took extreme pleasure in ripping the thing up. I'm tired of trying to communicate with them. If they do try to send me to collections, I know how to respond, and I'm sure I'll get better satisfaction from Transunion, etc.