Best place online that will deal with medicare

Who is the best place to deal with online for a new machine that will take care of medicare? Talked with the local company and they want a little over $300 up front to get me in a new machine so I'm looking for something online. I use iomysleep for supplies and will be calling them but wonder if there is anybody better out there. And that price was just a machine, nothing extra

bmanley wrote:Who is the best place to deal with online for a new machine that will take care of medicare?

AFAIK, the likelihood is slim. Medicare has set up a series of providers that are authorized to deal with them through a bidding system. In this, there appears to be far fewer options for equipment and supplies than for something like diabetes, for example. With diabetic supplies, one has the option of dealing through the primary channel, mail order, and local suppliers - all they need do is accept the payment schedule and process the needed paperwork. On the other hand, with xPAP equipment and supplies, I have yet to find an online or mail order supplier that will (or can) participate. You can certainly select a random group of online providers and ask them if they will accept Medicare. There are a few that will bill insurance, but their prices are no bargains.

If you are on Medicare you must use a Medicare preferred provider.

https://www.medicare.gov/supplierdirectory/search.html

There are a few online suppliers that are participating Medicare providers....meaning Medicare will pay them and they are happy with the Medicare allowance for an item. The will also usually bill any secondary insurance you might have....Medicare supplement if you have one.
Verus
Liberty Medical
American Home Patient
and there are others you can find by searching the internet. These just happen to stick in my mind from prior searches to answer this same question (it's been asked several times on the forum).

With Medicare and if you use a Medicare participating provider...you are going to owe the same no matter who you use. Medicare dictates what the provider and get in terms of payment...either from Medicare or from you in the form of whatever co pay is your portion of the allowable amount.
Doesn't matter what they initially bill...everything is figured on the allowable amount.

Don't go signing any sort of ABN (Advanced Beneficiary Notice...I think that's the right name) which might allow the provider to bill you for anything Medicare disallows or above Medicare allowable fees.
If a provider isn't a Medicare Participating Provider don't do business with them under any circumstances.

When you visit the Medicare provider site, enter your zip code to locate local network suppliers.
The green "M" identifies those few who accept the Medicare allowable as full payment (contracted provider).
If you buy from a dealer who has no green "M", upcharges will kick in (and you in the soft parts).
You can increase the search radius if no contracted providers are nearby.
Your Part B Medicare supplement will determine your deductible and copays.
Unless you have a Plan F, you need to meet your deductible, which is probably why you need to pay $300 up front.
As a diabetic, my test strips take care of that before I ever visit the DME.

bmanley wrote:Who is the best place to deal with online for a new machine that will take care of medicare? Talked with the local company and they want a little over $300 up front to get me in a new machine so I'm looking for something online. I use iomysleep for supplies and will be calling them but wonder if there is anybody better out there. And that price was just a machine, nothing extra

search for Verus in this forum or online and give them a call. I know they do mailorder and medicare

Well I checked online and they will not do machines. Guess they say medicare requires a face to face to setup the machine. Funny they sell the machines on there website but I guess that is only if you want to pay full price for one. Must not be enough mark up for them. Called a closer place to me on medicares list and they only do dreamstation. Not too sure I want to switch from resmed since I've had good luck with them.

bmanley wrote:pm
Well I checked online and they will not do machines. Guess they say medicare requires a face to face to setup the machine

True and an RT is supposed to come to the house to set it up for you. Some (Apria) want you to come pick it up. You can still get your supplies from another supplier it doesn't have to be the one you got the cpap from. But you also have to have the face-to-face appt. on time. I forgot what the intial was but then it's every 6 mos. If you really want to be independant you can supply the compliance data to the doc & dme but they will need it for billing.

As mentioned above do NOT sign the ABN or give a credit card when dealing with Apria. Use a pre-paid card if there is no way out or cancel any credit already given to them or else they will double bill then yank you around trying to get credit.

NEVER give Apria your credit card number.
If this means they will not sell to you, they do not deserve your business.

I tried apria for a time and will never go back there. They charged for everything. They would order the supplies and then charge me like $15 to ship them from their shop to my house. They are not on the list for local suppliers now so not sure if they closed or moved. Called another place local and they were $70 plus they come out and set it all up. And that is for the airsense 10 auto. After that it is $20 a month for 12 months. So far they sound like the best deal. If this take too long I will have to wait until next month to order so I have the money. Still going to have to wait on the full mask but I think with the new machine he will be better able to figure out what my problem is. My pressure started out at 11 5 years ago. Sleep study a year ago said 13 seem to be the best so doc changed it to that but since I was still have problem he changed it to 15. Still stop breathing so not sure what we are going to figure out.

I think the $70 is $50 for the humidifier and $20 for the first months rental. Then $20 for the next 12 months. You then own the machine. Clarify this with them.

Check the authorized medicare approved DME list for your zip code. When I checked the list for my zip code, I found Optigen, an online DME who will accept medicare and tricare, so I have started using them. So far, I have only gotten one shipment from them, and I got what I requested.

Checked with medicare online and found a few different companies. One only does the dreamstation and they other does both so going to check more with them. I've been getting my replacement stuff online for 3 years now and they have never charged me so I know they can bill medicare but they don't do machines this way.