Fed up with my DME, what can I do?

I'm on Medi-cal for insurance, do I have any other options besides Apria?

They failed to send my items to the right address twice, no idea if they ever sent the replacement. I moved shortly before I got my CPAP and I swear I gave them the right address, I know I did the 2nd time. I haven't wanted to deal with them after the 2nd time, there should have been no 2nd screw up...

I've had the same parts for about a year now.

Call your Insurance Company and ask THEM what your options are. We agree...APRIA SUCKS!

I've never had to do this stuff before so I realize it may have been a dumb question a bit lol. No idea how well Medi-cal can help me but I suppose it is an option to try.

I forgot to mention I got billed for the missing items the first time. I wish I didn't pay but I didn't know any better. (Plus my head is a mess from sleeping so badly.)

Also I saw the reviews for Apria and figured I'd give them a chance.... But yeah haha. How are they so bad?

Oops. Didn't know I could post as a guest lol.

I tried Apria, because they were contracted with Medicare;
but they demanded a cc#, AND they insisted supplies be handled long distance, UPS only. {{{UPS SUCKS}}}
Enough is enough, and they wasted every chance I gave them!
I am so very happy with ACS, local only, nice location, tiny place, no scooters or lift chairs, just cpap/o2.
And they only carry FULL DATA machines.

There's a reason we refer to them as "Crapria" around here.

But Medi-Cal doesn't quite work like "an insurance company". You could spend days on the phone trying to talk to your "insurer" and not get any help, it's a bureaucracy of incredibly dysfunctional systems. More than likely Crapria is the only DME that will accept Medi-cal, but you could try calling other DMEs to see if they accept Medi-Cal and will work with you, but don't hold your breath UNLESS you also have Medicare. Medicare reimbursement to DMEs is bad, Medi-Cal is horrible, but when you have BOTH the reimbursement is actually better than private insurance. So DMEs may be happy to have you if you are "Medi-Medi."

I only have Medi-cal.

I guess all I can really do is keep trying with Apria. How is Apria still in business anyway?

Call your insurer and find out if they honor more than one DME

You can always buy your stuff out-of-pocket.
I've never used a brick & mortar DME Have always purchased from online sellers, forum members or private individuals. And, other than the initial purchase which was also purchased out-of-pocket and reimbursed 80% by my insurance provider (when I met the deductible), I've never asked my insurance (or now Medicare) to help me buy any of my supplies. They've all been out-of-pocket, too.


Den

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Skie wrote:I only have Medi-cal.

I guess all I can really do is keep trying with Apria. How is Apria still in business anyway?

Crapria won the Medicare competitive bidding war. They are the exclusive provider for Kaiser Permanente in most regions, they are the only contracted provider for many large insurers. They did this by undercutting everyone else, so what they don't make in profit margin from each individual sale is more than made up for in volume. They provide the cheapest equipment and supplies possible (I can't even use their cheap paper filters because they get sucked into the air intake) and negotiate volume deals with manufacturers for the cheapest bricks.

So they don't care if you are unhappy or have billing issues. There's a thousand more CPAP users where you came from. As far as they are concerned YOU are not their customer. Your doctor (referral source) and insurer (payment source) are their customers. You are merely incidental to their business. They can stay in business very well without you ar me or anyone else here.

Reality sucks. On Medi-cal you are not likely to be able to vote with your feet UNLESS you are on "share of cost" Medi-cal. If you have a large share of cost, then you may better off buying your supplies online with no hassle, even if it costs you a little more and doesn't count toward your share of cost (actually it may). If you are on ADFPL Medi-Cal or ACA expansion Medi-Cal with no share of cost you may be stuck. But it doesn't hurt to ask if another DME will accept your Medi-Cal.