Wow... a Responsive DME!

HoseCrusher wrote:In the era of customer no-service, this is indeed a glimmer of hope...

After 5.5 years of dealing with Crapria, it's really nice to have GOOD people on your side!

palerider wrote:don't pinch yourself, you might wake up!!!

seriously, though, let's hope they don't change!

I sure hope they don't! It's sooo nice to not have to spend 2 hours on the phone trying to place an order, and then to have the DME screw it up anyway!

And again... good!

I called Access today to see about replacing my Resmed Mirage Liberty, which is what I use for a full-face mask if I happen to have a respiratory infection.

The very pleasant and polite lady took down my information, made sure she had the correct mask noted -- she said, "We have you down for the Tap-Pap..." And I said, "Yes, that's the mask I normally use. This is just for if I come down with a respiratory infection." And she said, "Ah, that makes sense... get the mask before you need it!" She said she'd drop it in the mail.

Well, she called back in about five minutes to apologize because they didn't happen to have one in stock. It would take until Friday to get it in, so the earliest I would have it would be next Monday.

Now compare to Apria, who tells me 8-10 working days, and there was often a week before they would get around to calling me to complain about why was I ordering something different? and then the 8-10 working day count would start. Maybe. If they felt like it. If they didn't find something else to screw up.

Like... le wow!

Poor thing, she's had a stroke and is hallucinating.

Seriously, I'm glad for you.

There's so many bad DME's out there, it's important to remember they're not all bad.

I am having fun discussions , not with my DME Crapria, but with the medical group that must pre aprove everything before Crapria even gets a chance to screw it up.

I wanted an air filter the MY Resperonics O2 concentrator. the CSR just called me back to tell me they didn't provide the concentrator so they cannot provide the filter. I said, so you can't provide a $10 filter, but you can provide a $700 concentrator. She said that is correct.
I can't argue about the other items on my order, Crapria has actually delivered them allready and I have spent less than 10 hours on the phone with Crapria to clarify what I wanted and that I had wanted to pick it up last Wednesday when I was driving past their facility. It has only taken 3 deliveries to get me a mask cussion for my Wisp, an SD card and an inline O2 adapter. They can't ship my heated hose until the 19th because of eligablity.

Kiralynx wrote:
I remember, so vividly, Apria's refusal to provide a full-face mask when I came down with my first post-CPAP respiratory infection. It had to be ordered. It showed up about two weeks later, when I no longer needed it. (My husband took one look at me after a night with no CPAP and said, "Order what you need, next day air, from CPAP.COM." I did. I spoke to them sometime early afternoon... the mask was on my doorstep by 10a the next morning.)

My husband commented on it, too... how much NICER it is to deal with people who actually give a d@mn about their customers.

Gee, I wonder if some of the places that are improving have figured out that killing off the patients by denying them the stuff they need means an end to the revenue stream from the patient!

One thing I know for sure -- none of this stuff will be medically necessary if I'm dead!

archangle wrote:Poor thing, she's had a stroke and is hallucinating.

Seriously, I'm glad for you.

There's so many bad DME's out there, it's important to remember they're not all bad.

Considering how many times I groused on here about Apria's poor service, I think it's important to make it clear that it IS possible to find a good 'un.

I sometimes find myself thinking that it may depend, in part, on whether you're awake enough to do battle with your insurance!

Interestingly, I found these folks through a CPAP users meeting that was held at a local hospital. It was only held the once -- I think the person who organized it moved, and no one else wanted to take it over. In any case, they had a really nice presentation on the linkages of apnea to all the other things it is linked to, had representatives from local DMEs, and even the local Respironics rep was there.

Access had a table set up, and they were so nice and helpful, and had a range of accessories for people to try. So I went to their store, and bought a few things when I learned my then-insurance wouldn't work with them.

Last January, when Apria did the final thing which pushed me over the edge, and I called my insurance to get another DME, I was delighted to find out the Access was on the list... and headed straight there.

So far, they haven't disappointed me.

cathyf wrote: . . . figured out that killing off the patients by denying them the stuff they need means an end to the revenue stream . . .

Doubt DME drones are that deductive.

bwexler wrote:I am having fun discussions , not with my DME Crapria, but with the medical group that must pre aprove everything before Crapria even gets a chance to screw it up.

I wanted an air filter the MY Resperonics O2 concentrator. the CSR just called me back to tell me they didn't provide the concentrator so they cannot provide the filter. I said, so you can't provide a $10 filter, but you can provide a $700 concentrator. She said that is correct.

I can't argue about the other items on my order, Crapria has actually delivered them already and I have spent less than 10 hours on the phone with Crapria to clarify what I wanted and that I had wanted to pick it up last Wednesday when I was driving past their facility. It has only taken 3 deliveries to get me a mask cushion for my Wisp, an SD card and an inline O2 adapter. They can't ship my heated hose until the 19th because of eligibility.

Ah, yes... a mere ten hours.

I do remember the days! (I still remember one time when they called three times, 3-4 days apart, to conform everything... and then delivered the wrong items entirely, including nasal pillows in the wrong size and for a mask I've never used.)

I wish you luck in getting everything sorted out. I don't mean to gloat, but it's just so great to be able able to call and talk to someone who knows what they're doing, and to get the supplies without a hassle.

cathyf wrote: Gee, I wonder if some of the places that are improving have figured out that killing off the patients by denying them the stuff they need means an end to the revenue stream from the patient!

One thing I know for sure -- none of this stuff will be medically necessary if I'm dead!

So very true! But it occurs to me to wonder if the DME employees at the bad places are smart enough to figure that out!

Kiralynx wrote:

cathyf wrote: Gee, I wonder if some of the places that are improving have figured out that killing off the patients by denying them the stuff they need means an end to the revenue stream from the patient!

One thing I know for sure -- none of this stuff will be medically necessary if I'm dead!

So very true! But it occurs to me to wonder if the DME employees at the bad places are smart enough to figure that out!

The DME employees that ARE smart enough to figure that out usually don't STAY at the bad places for long!

Does your new DME ship out of state... I hope, I hope, I hope I wanna get a piece of that action! Goodbye Apria!