Apria flat out lied to me.

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:25 am

Went in last Thursday with a scrip for mask of choice and was told by the r/t that the hybrid mask is no longer manufactured.

CollegeGirl · Post by **CollegeGirl** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:28 am

Wow. How interesting, since it's a relatively new mask. Could be that she's uneducated, but I'd be going back in there with documentation of its existence and telling her I'll be buying my supplies on cpap.com from now on. Apria rarely fails to disappoint.

major_works · Post by **major_works** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:42 am

Apria... great outfit.

I have a REMstar M Series Plus, and when I saw my sleep doc a month ago, I persuaded him to upgrade me to a Pro for the improved data collection.

So someone from Apria finally called me yesterday to tell me they wanted to schedule an appointment to pick up my new M Series Plus. Huh? Excuse me? It took me a little doing to make the rep understand that my prescription was written specifically for a Pro. She wanted to give me another identical machine!

"Oh, that's a special order item," she said. "It'll take three weeks for us to get one."

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:50 am

[quote="CollegeGirl"]Wow. How interesting, since it's a relatively new mask. Could be that she's uneducated, but I'd be going back in there with documentation of its existence and telling her I'll be buying my supplies on cpap.com from now on. Apria rarely fails to disappoint.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:15 am

Besides, you'd be doing Apria a favor buying your Hybrid from cpap.com The Hybrid is one of THE most or THE most expensive xPAP masks available. That's why Apria won't carry them.

You were surprised Apria would lie to you?????

CollegeGirl · Post by **CollegeGirl** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:17 am

I realize that. Apria is the company my insurance uses, also. However, generally, by the time I pay my copay to Apria, I could have just bought the thing myself on cpap.com for the same amount. So that's what I do. Not saying you should, that's just what I do.

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:20 am

My insurance company gave the two closest DME's to me, Apria and Robert's Medical. I am SOOO glad I ended up with Roberts! Although Roberts is the one my sleep doc uses, they said I could use Apria if I wanted to. Having read only a little about Apria on here, I chose Roberts. Boy, am I glad I did.

Pam

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:21 am

I understand about being stuck w/whoever your insurance is contracted with.

I'm "stuck" w/Wright & Filippis here in MI and their xPAP "service" (?) sucks big time. I'm counting the months until I am DONE w/them!!!!

fidget · Post by **fidget** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:27 am

The Hybrid is made, it's not offered by Apria at this time due to Medicare changing the reimbursement. Medicare changed the reimbursement for the face mask and the nasal pillows to a miscellaneous code, it costs more for the company to purchase the mask, than Medicare will pay for it. And since most insurance companies (granted, not all) follow Medicare guidelines, the decision was made at the corporate level not to offer they Hybrid until such time as reimbursement was changed.

As for the Pro. Apria recieved official notification from Respironics that the Legend series, including the Pro, are no longer being manufactured. That makes them now a special order item, only until the stock is used up, after which they will no longer be available. Period. Why on earth would you even want a machine which is no longer going to be manufactured?

This letter is to inform you of the discontinuation of the BiPAP® Pro 2 (part # 1012986) and the BiPAP
Pro 2 Core Package (part # 1017342). The decision to no longer manufacture these products was
based on the availability of a technologically superior replacement product, the BiPAP Auto with Bi-
Flex, part number 1017439 (Stand alone unit) and 1017442 (Core package)

Contact Respironics Customer Service if you have any questions. Per a letter from them, the date of obsolesence for the Pro is 12-1-06.

I certainly wouldn't want to buy an obsolete machine at this time.

Nobody lied to you, the person who told you the Hybrid wasn't manufactured anymore was mistaken. The rest is the total truth.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:42 am

Per a letter from them, the date of obsolesence for the Pro is 12-1-06.
I'm sure the person is switching from a M series Plus to a M series Pro. Not the older Pro that is discontinued.

fidget · Post by **fidget** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:00 am

Probably, however I've seen posts from people upset wanting the Legend series.

Fact is, it's still probably a special order item, and it will probably take 3 weeks to get there. It's not on the Apria "tool" of routinely ordered items.

It'll have to come from the regional warehouse.

You need to remember that Apria is a national company, and all final decisions for how things are done take place out in California. It's not that your local Apria makes this stuff up on their own, trying to rip you off. We're out here trying to take care of our patients the best we can, fighting payors, the government, and corporate all the way.

Facts are, as I've said before, your medical needs are met, as your insurance sees fit. If it's over and above what your insurance deems necessary, then you might have to go out of pocket and purchase it privately. Just exactly the same as, since my insurance now deems that I can buy Prilosec over the counter for my GERD, my doctor can write all the prescriptions for Nexxium I want, but my insurance won't pay for it, I'm welcome to purchase it myself though.

There is no earthly reason a privatly owned company should have to provide a mask, like the Hybrid, that they will lose money on. You're welcome to purchase it anywhere you can find it though.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:36 am

So - corportate headquarters are unwilling to provide, for instance, a RemStar Auto w/C-Flex M series, because it is the same HCPCS code as a straight RemStar M series CPAP, but costs more than the straight CPAP, the patient is free to go elsewhere to get their RemStar w/C-Flex M series - BUT since insurance certainly isn't willing to pay twice, the patient will have to SELF-PAY all the charges up to that point?? Some freedom of choice since the patient was advised and aware of the options up front. Oh, but that's right, its the patient's responsibility to know what thier benefits are. Snort!

Look I had Apria for 3 1/2 months for TPN and they were GREAT! Never batted an eye at anything I needed and had it shipped to me next day. Called at least once a week to make sure I was having no problems, to check what items I may need, etc., etc. etc. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute recommending April to someone needing TPN.

OBVIOUSLY TPN must be even MORE LUCRATIVE for DME suppliers than xPAP equipment which is NO MONEY LOSER for them by any stretch of the imagination.

What is confusing is to read of one DME crying xPAP costs are high to make up for other money losing services such as 0xygen. Then turn around and read another DME crying Oxygen supports losers such a xPAP. Gimme a break!

fidget · Post by **fidget** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:13 pm

Yup, seems that way doesn't it?
TPN is different, you're not buying any equipment, it's not a shopper's market. With TPN, it's the same as, if, say, everyone only got a DS100, with no other choice needed.

The only reason that manufacturers even offer the other options is because consumers are now more aware of self care, and manufacturers are marketing to consumers.

Companies such as Apria are still considering the doctors the primary market. Silly. Sales execs have to call on a certain number of doctors every week. It's been my experience that doctors don't really care where their patients get their equipment, as long as the patient gets what they need, and don't complain to the doctor about the care they got.

Until they learn to market to consumers, patients, and offer the best deal to the patient for the best money, this is the way things will be.

I've personally told patients with a really high deductable to please shop around before buying cpap stuff from me. I could probably be fired if my manager knew that.

Sleepy Dog Lover · Post by **Sleepy Dog Lover** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:27 pm

[quote="WearyOne"]My insurance company gave the two closest DME's to me, Apria and Robert's Medical. I am SOOO glad I ended up with Roberts! Although Roberts is the one my sleep doc uses, they said I could use Apria if I wanted to. Having read only a little about Apria on here, I chose Roberts. Boy, am I glad I did.

Pam

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:19 pm

Cigna has just contracted with Apria. They said I can stay with my current DME since my equipment is almost paid for(I hate the current DME also) I have found it cheaper to order all of my new equipment from cpap.com and it costs me less than a copay on the overinflated prices that the DME charges

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine:Resmed S7 Elite; Oracle Mask(YES! My DREAM mask!!)