One of my very first posts on this board was about this very same thing. Pasted below:
I know, I know, I know. This gets talked to death. I am new, but I searched. I know it gets talked about. I debated about being that annoying newbie who posts something with an obvious answer if one just used the search function. But several pages into the search, I still hadn't found exactly what I was looking for, so here I am.
Ok, so - like a lot of xpap newbies, I didn't find this awesome, knowledge-filled xpap utopia until AFTER I had been set up with a DME and gotten my equipment. I made the usual newb mistakes; when I was presented with a slip of paper at my sleep study, on which I was supposed to select a DME for my machine and supplies, I knew absolutely nothing about *any* of them. Like a good sheep, I just shrugged and checked off "no preference". Big - no, HUGE - mistake. I got set up with Apria. Sigh.
Now, mind you, at first I was happy with this. I mean, it took two weeks from the initial sleep study before they even did the titration study, and then another entire MONTH before I got irritated and called the sleep center to find out what was the hold up. I still hadn't even seen or heard any results from the study other than a letter that simply said I had "severe apnea". Not even any technical language such as OSA, or any information about how many events there were, etc. I was completely in the dark. So, when the center told me that they had sent the order over to Apria and gave me their number, I was thrilled.
I called Apria, and they said that they were waiting for my insurance to approve it (I have United HealthCare, who are also slow as Christmas). So, I called my insurance company, who said that they had approved it two weeks previously. First annoyance. I called Apria back the next day. I was told that it was still waiting for insurance approval. I told the rep that the UHC had told me already that it was approved two weeks previously. The rep goes into her computer system, then comes back and tells me that I was right, it WAS approved. I could come in the next day for my "class" and to get the machine. I asked her how much it would cost me. My husband and I don't do credit cards, so I wanted to know how much money I needed in the bank before I walked in. She looked in the system, and said that I owed nothing because I have already met both my deductible AND my max OOP for the year. Had a couple of surgeries early this year that knocked that one out of the ballpark already, so that was good. The sleep study and everything cost me nothing. Woo-hoo.
So, the next day I showed up for the "class", which consisted of a resp tech, another guy, and me. We went through all the stuff about how the machine works, etc. She hooked up masks for us (a medium Mirage Quattro for both of us). Mine kept leaking and leaking, but she fiddled with it and got it so that it didn't leak while I was sitting there. Granted, it leaked like a sieve once I laid down with it, but that's another story and today I'm talking about something else. Anyway, she brought out the invoices for each of us to sign. On mine, it said that I owed $120.19. Uh, no. No, I don't. I pointed that out to the tech, and she said she would go double check that. She left the room, and came back about 10 min later. She said that I was right, and when she pulled it up in the computer it showed that my ins is paying at 100% now, so I owed nothing. She marked through the prices and balance owed and initialed them, then wrote a large note in the margin for the billing people. Said that billing would take care of it when they put it in the computer. Sounded good, hunky dory, and I was out the door with my machine (mine, no rental!) for no money out of pocket, as promised.
Things were, well...bumpy those first few days. I was back in there a couple of days later to get a new mask. None of the ff fit me, we tried a bunch, open packages lying around everywhere. I was starting to feel bad, lol. Finally settled on Swift fx for her, with a chin strap to make sure I don't mouth breathe. Except there was no chin strap in my size (just call me Tiny Head, I guess). It would have to be ordered. So, again I walked out with my new stuff and paid no money.
About two weeks after getting the cpap, I got a call from an Apria rep, saying that they needed to put a credit card on file with my account in order to finish processing and setting it up. She also said that there was an outstanding balance of $120.19 that needed to be charged. I disagreed and said that my insurance was paying at 100%. She looked it up in her computer, and sure enough I was right, but that she couldn't fix it. I would have to call the billing department to get that fixed. I said that I was not comfortable sharing my card information for them to "keep on file" until that was cleared up. She said that was fine, and we hung up. I immediately called the billing department, and the rep that I spoke with there ALSO looked it up in her computer and saw that what I was saying was correct, and that I owed nothing. Meanwhile, I'm checking in with my insurance and sure enough, they are showing patient obligation for all of this stuff as $0. Again, I said I wasn't comfortable giving them my card info until they had the insurance status correct and the balance owed cleared off. Again, this was A-ok with the rep.
Two days after that I got another call from an Apria rep. My chin strap was FINALLY ready to ship (after two and a half weeks of waiting). She also said it was time for new hoses and filters, if I wanted those as well. I asked her if there was any charge for that. She looked in the computer, and said there was no charge, since my insurance was paying 100%. I said, fantastic! Go ahead, I'll take them. She said they needed a credit card on file before she could ship them out. I specifically asked if anything would be charged to the card. Oh, no ma'am, we just need it on file in order to ship out your orders. You don't owe anything for this, so there's no charge. Finally, a little hesitant and against my better judgment, I gave them my debit card info.
Two days after THAT, guess what happened?? A charge on my card for $2.88. I didn't authorize any charges. And besides, in all the discussions that dollar amount NEVER came up! I was livid. And get this - later that day a bill for $120.19 showed up in the mail.
Is $2.88 a lot of money? Well, no. But they are being jerks about getting the money back to me. I've called every couple of days for a week now and keep getting told that they are waiting for the insurance to send over verification that they are paying at 100% so that they can clear the balance owed AND refund my $2.88. WHAT??? I called my insurance co and asked them about this, because I wanted to expedite the process and get that balance cleared out before they charge my card for $120.19 that I didn't authorize. UHC rep said that they sent over that verification on 7/14. These people, not sure which ones, are seriously jerking me around now and I'm done. Clearly, every single person I have spoken with at Apria could see in their computers that I owe nothing, yet every single one of them failed to FIX IT. If they can see that I owe nothing, then why do they still need "verification"? Very frustrating. And while $2.88 isn't much, I don't trust Apria with my financial info and I'm really uncomfortable. I check my bank balance every single day in case they have dinged it for $120.19.
Update since then - I've fired Apria. Still don't have my money back. Don't know if I ever will. Now I order from Edgepark. They are in network with my ins, and I already order my diabetic supplies from them. No hassles, super easy. I get online, throw what I want to order into my cart, and check out. If they need a script, they contact the doctor and still ship the next day. Very happy with them.
