Looking for good DME in NYC

I have aetna and spoke to one from my dme list and they told me they don't get paid much from insurance and I will have to pay extra to get the mask I want (Airfit n20). From what I've read this is par the course with DME's, and will only provide you low end equipment since their amount paid from insurance is the same regardless of the item. Is it even worth calling around different dme's or does anyone know any decent providers in the NYC area who are cheaper than just purchasing from an online store using an rx from my primary dr?

Note that I also will have to pay 20%, as Aetna only pays 80. However, I have medicare as secondary. Anyone know if they will pickup the 20%?

Thanks

If you have a sleep doctor, ask his office for recommendation on a DME that they work with.

Hampton Home Healthcare. I had Apria before and they are total trash.

raisedfist wrote:Hampton Home Healthcare. I had Apria before and they are total trash.

Which apria location? I was about to call them. I suppose I'll call Home Health.

axxell6307 wrote:

raisedfist wrote:Hampton Home Healthcare. I had Apria before and they are total trash.

Which apria location? I was about to call them. I suppose I'll call Home Health.

AFAIK there is only one Apria location in NYC...a craphole in the middle of nowhere that is hard to get to - hunter's point in Long Island City. It's a shabby office with 1980's shag carpet and the printers still spit out color carbon copies at a rate of 1 page per decade. Smells awful and the employees don't add any cheer to the place. Steer clear if you value your sanity.

Since Medicare is involved, it is possible that their rules apply, even though they are secondary.
Call Medicare, and ask them specifically.
Also check the Medicare providers website to find a " contracted" provider. (See my link below)
Avoid Apria at all costs.
If you buy your first N20 from cpap.com, return insurance is free.
No hassle like with Crapria.

axxell6307 wrote:I have aetna and spoke to one from my dme list and they told me they don't get paid much from insurance and I will have to pay extra to get the mask I want (Airfit n20). From what I've read this is par the course with DME's, and will only provide you low end equipment since their amount paid from insurance is the same regardless of the item. Is it even worth calling around different dme's or does anyone know any decent providers in the NYC area who are cheaper than just purchasing from an online store using an rx from my primary dr?

Note that I also will have to pay 20%, as Aetna only pays 80. However, I have medicare as secondary. Anyone know if they will pickup the 20%?

Thanks

No Medicare will only pay 80% of any bill.

I use Landauer Medstar in NYC - though they really are on LI. Never been there - they came and delivered my machine (as scheduled), showed me how to use it, and then left. They are part of a larger group called QMES, so for supplies you call some warehouse in PA, and they send you the stuff.

They were good on mask swaps, I wound up with an AirFit F20. No additional payment required beyond insurance reimbursement (I have Aetna through my employer) rates. I've been with them about 3 months, self-payed for some tubing (which messed up my supply order....grr! They said I wasn't eligible since I'd recently gotten tubing when I called to order some more. They quickly realized it was self-pay and said they'd send it to me).

They seem pretty decent to me, but I've never dealt with anyone else.

jds2001 wrote:I use Landauer Medstar in NYC - though they really are on LI. Never been there - they came and delivered my machine (as scheduled), showed me how to use it, and then left. They are part of a larger group called QMES, so for supplies you call some warehouse in PA, and they send you the stuff.

They were good on mask swaps, I wound up with an AirFit F20. No additional payment required beyond insurance reimbursement (I have Aetna through my employer) rates. I've been with them about 3 months, self-payed for some tubing (which messed up my supply order....grr! They said I wasn't eligible since I'd recently gotten tubing when I called to order some more. They quickly realized it was self-pay and said they'd send it to me).

They seem pretty decent to me, but I've never dealt with anyone else.

I saw QME/Landauer on my insurance list so I gave them a call and sent over my rx to them. Wow they are good. They just called me back and said I shouldn't owe anything out of pocket for the mask and supplies I want, while every other dme I called said I'd still owe after insurance paid because they don't get paid enough. I'm giving them a test run ordering my mask and if all goes well, I will order a new machine, as my current machine was self paid.

Thanks for the info!