Apria

I called my local Apria this morning, and they were able to get me in this afternoon for a mask fitting. I tried on both the Mirage Swift LT and the LT for Women. Although I've heard that they're basically the same, the one for Women fit better on the back of my head. I was going to have to rig the standard LT somehow so it wouldn't slide up on my hair. I told her that I wanted the LT for Women, and she went to check on it. Turns out that's a special order, and it can take up to TWO WEEKS for it to be delivered. I asked if I could just order it from CPAP.com, and was told that they couldn't reimburse me, but that I could call and check with my insurance (which is fine, because I figured that wasn't their place). The lady I spoke to was nice, but she didn't really do anything. She basically just gave me the mask and let me see how I thought it felt. I do know that I'll have to get another prescription at some point, because this one was only written for a mask, not supplies too.
We'll see how long it takes for the mask to come in. After this all I'll have to do is switch out nasal pillows, so hopefully that won't take as long on a regular basis.

Apria RT,

If you don't feel like you're swimming upstream now, then you have a stronger constitution than I would have. The RT at the New Orleans branch was very helpful in getting the correct machine to treat my complex apnea. However, I was the one who educated myself about masks, and called the sleep center to try on masks before my titration. She's been remarkably resistant to my trying on other masks, although the CL2 does work well for me.

I am totally unimpressed with the Apria supplies division. If you want to know why,

viewtopic.php?p=339768#p339768

will tell you. I'm prepared to give them a fair chance when it comes to my first new mask, but I will observe their customer service very carefully with that transaction.

Your willingness to be here and listen to extensive complaints is a major plus for your employer -- it's obvious, at least from this, that you may be one of the good ones.

From the very beginning my experience with Apria/Phoenix has been horrible. First off, they had me come to their office, where I waited for a long time, then I was ushered into a meting room with another patient. I was told to wait while the technician fitted the other patient, then after that patient was gone, the tech started with me. First thing was to attempt to provide a nose mask, (which I had tried in the test and couldn't tolerate). The tech was very irritated when I refused to take the mask, stating "your insurance company prefers that you..." I had to forcefully tell him to give me what was written on the prescription (nasal pillows). I heard nothing further from Apria for years (other than being billed a large amount initially, and a lesser amount periodically). There was no follow-up, no reminders to update, change, etc any of the equipment, for about 4 years. At that point, the events in the thread below began.

viewtopic/t38920/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37 ... eb#p325876

I have mentioned Apria to several health professionals along the way, and their opinion has been routinely negative toward Apria as a provider.

I took my machine back to them (even though they admitted that I did own it), and left it. I want NOTHING more to do with Apria!

Interesting that "RT from Apria" has not posted back again.

Too bad.... I was hoping that maybe we had a friend in Apria.

I cannot say ANYTHING GOOD about Apria. I have Cigna who uses Apria exclusively and Apria even rips off Cigna.

I had an Rx written very, very specifically for an APAP and dispite Apria's promises to fill my Rx exactly as my sleep Doc had written it, they sent me a plain Jane CPAP. No humidifier either even though that was written on the Rx.

Worse than that, was the price they charged Cigna for that crappy machine. 3 times what it was worth and what I could have bought it for on CPAP.com. I would have thought that Cigna had some Buying Power and should have gotten an even cheaper price for the machine. So something stinks here.....

Bottom line.... it took me over ONE YEAR to get a credit for the CPAP my Doc did not want me to have. In the meantime, I bought the APAP I needed from CPAP.com out of pocket. It was the best thing I ever did. I have been buying all my supplies and masks from CPAP.com too with one exception when I managed to get ONE mask from Apria without spending a month to get it done.

I don't want to ramble on, since it will raise my blood pressure, but I am SOOOOO happy and greatful that I can afford to buy my own machine. I have been happy with not having to deal with Apria any longer.

Oh... btw.... I was never succesful in getting Apria to send an RT to my house to set things up since I didnt' buy the machine from Apria, they refused to supply an RT, even though Cigna would have paid for that.

Goodby and good riddence Apria !

pratzert wrote:Interesting that "RT from Apria" has not posted back again.

Too bad.... I was hoping that maybe we had a friend in Apria.

I cannot say ANYTHING GOOD about Apria. I have Cigna who uses Apria exclusively and Apria even rips off Cigna.

I had an Rx written very, very specifically for an APAP and dispite Apria's promises to fill my Rx exactly as my sleep Doc had written it, they sent me a plain Jane CPAP. No humidifier either even though that was written on the Rx.

Worse than that, was the price they charged Cigna for that crappy machine. 3 times what it was worth and what I could have bought it for on CPAP.com. I would have thought that Cigna had some Buying Power and should have gotten an even cheaper price for the machine. So something stinks here.....

Bottom line.... it took me over ONE YEAR to get a credit for the CPAP my Doc did not want me to have. In the meantime, I bought the APAP I needed from CPAP.com out of pocket. It was the best thing I ever did. I have been buying all my supplies and masks from CPAP.com too with one exception when I managed to get ONE mask from Apria without spending a month to get it done.

I don't want to ramble on, since it will raise my blood pressure, but I am SOOOOO happy and greatful that I can afford to buy my own machine. I have been happy with not having to deal with Apria any longer.

Oh... btw.... I was never succesful in getting Apria to send an RT to my house to set things up since I didnt' buy the machine from Apria, they refused to supply an RT, even though Cigna would have paid for that.

Goodby and good riddence Apria !

Bottom Line Apria Still Sucks

feeB eldooN wrote:From the very beginning my experience with Apria/Phoenix has been horrible. First off, they had me come to their office, where I waited for a long time, then I was ushered into a meting room with another patient. I was told to wait while the technician fitted the other patient, then after that patient was gone, the tech started with me. First thing was to attempt to provide a nose mask, (which I had tried in the test and couldn't tolerate). The tech was very irritated when I refused to take the mask, stating "your insurance company prefers that you..." I had to forcefully tell him to give me what was written on the prescription (nasal pillows). I heard nothing further from Apria for years (other than being billed a large amount initially, and a lesser amount periodically). There was no follow-up, no reminders to update, change, etc any of the equipment, for about 4 years. At that point, the events in the thread below began.

viewtopic/t38920/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37 ... eb#p325876

I have mentioned Apria to several health professionals along the way, and their opinion has been routinely negative toward Apria as a provider.

I took my machine back to them (even though they admitted that I did own it), and left it. I want NOTHING more to do with Apria!

Ha Ha - I had the same experience but there were TEN OF US IN THE ROOM - ten chubby middle aged guys with weak chins and apnea. I also had the mask jammed on my face and that was the end of my fitting. I did find another aprea nearby that was better.

improve our service to you.... How can we better serve you?

I professionally interact with DME's on a daily basis. When I began to identify a DME for my OSA treatment needs, I did not place Apria on my short list of DME contacts. I quickly learned, I would not easily have a greater experience than I decided to avoid with Apria.

If your desire is to assist your potential patients aka customers, become an advocate within your organization.

Let the motto become APRIA: A Different DME Experience and position yourself as a desirable service option.

1. Schedule an appointment, be on time and ready to meet with the patient/customer.
2. Know your stuff, be a sleep disorder equipment expert.
3. Promote patient/customer participation in equipment selection to the degree the customer wishes.
4. Explore and educate patients/customers on machine availability and options per machine.
5. Stop attempting to off load low cost machines to enhance DME profits at the expense of patients.
6 Know your masks selection, how to fit and what is likely to work with patient/customer preferences, anxiety, tolerances.
Communicate with the patient during the process. Avoid assigning masks. Demonstrate sanitary habits for mask fitting.
Never send a patient home with a mask used for demonstration purchases. Explain leaks are NOT an expected part of
OSA treatment.

OVERALL RECOMMENDATION:
Provide top of line consultation and services. Stop treating the patient as a one time sale. Respect and provide excellent services
then increase profits by having returning patients/customers because of honest services with good equipment. Remember if you
lie or deceive me today, I learn about what you did to me tomorrow. I dont' come back the day after. I tell all of my contacts of my
bad experiences with you. My trust and confidence is lost forever. I am now your negative marketing representative 24/7 and
unlikely to change my message. Remember I am a blank slate when I begin my experience with a DME business... view me as a
customer with marketing capacity and never view me as a unequal patient again. Respect Me.

elg5cats

ApriaRT wrote:Hello to all! I am a RT with Apria Healthcare in Virginia. I have been involved with sleep for 20 years now and have been using cpap myself for the last 3 years. I am new to this site and have been reading through to see what cpap users are saying about Apria. I will tell everybody that Apria is working very hard to improve our overall service to sleep customers. I would like to hear good or bad and I am open to suggestions to improve our service to you. How can we better serve you? What would you like to see done to improve your experience with us? One last note, I cant fix the billing process and I can assure you that dealing with insurances and receiving payment from them is just as painful for us as it is you!

Hi ... and welcome to the feedback you've asked for.

Unfortunately, while we get to vent ... as an employee of Apria ... at a local level ... there's really little chance that you can truly make a difference throughout the corporation.

My sleep doctor (without asking for my input) FAXed my prescription to Apria.

The trip to the facility for my machine (basic!) and my mask fitting was "interesting" ... My husband and I had done some research on the masks and I knew which one I wanted to start with. The nurse cycled through a bunch of masks so fast (get me out of there - quick) that it was really impossible to make a real choice. The one I went home with was an inexpensive one ... which I changed out after a week ... for the one I had requested at the start of the process.

On my second trip (to pick up the replacement mask), I asked to talk to Customer Service (the person who would order my replacement materials ... only after I called them ... she walked to the counter with what was a very large chip on her shoulder ... and we hadn't even introduced ourselves (my husband was with me). After having done a lot of research on the Medicare replacement schedule (Medicare document L171) ... my husband wanted to confirm what would be replaced and when through Apria. The Apria rep disagreed with us on the basic replacement of the mask interface ... told us we were wrong and went away in a huff!

Actually ... she was wrong ... and we switched to another DME who agreed with us on the Medicare replacement schedule.

What's ironic is that that facility is supposed to make money. The more they "sell" ... the more profit they make. Yet here was a Customer Service person telling us that I was only entitled to half of what Medicare will pay for. So they make half as much money.

Now that's a Customer Service person that was not only short changing me on what I was entitled to ... she was also short changing the company she is working for!

I also think it was also a travesty that I ... as a client ... knew more about what Medicare authorized on replacement then she did.

By the way ... it wasn't an error when I said it was a nurse that "fitted" my mask ... she was not an RT (none at that facility) ... and in hindsight, I didn't feel that she was that competent in helping me choose a mask. I've had store clerks spend more time trying to fit me for a pair of shoes!

Finally, I really don't have a good feeling about the doctor not including his patient in the choice of a DME ... makes me think that there might be a "cozy" relationship between the doctor and that local Apria DME.

Jan

Apria isn't the best but since they are located near me and are open on Saturday's and theydo mail the supplies without a charge. I have been using this DME the most.

But the only RT that does the downloads always has a short temper. Tells me get the Dr to read the report. The Dr. says have the RT explain it. So I find calling REsprionics I get good info.

If like the others said if they would give all the info from day one we wouldn't be going and calling as often. They also told me you can't return a mask unless it is defected in the first 30 days. I have tried lots of masks. Different chin straps. Never tried the full face mask. One mask they gave me turned out to be kids size. The RT that does the downloads sold me the activia but wrong size. I found this info out at the last sleep study by their tech. So they gave me a micro mirage. Seems like I finally decided that Swift Lt is for me. My ahi are still 4-5 -6 and still feel tired. But the RT says the therapy is working.

remstar auto press 8 range 7-9 with heated humidifer
swift lt

Apria is a profit driven company and are not in business to lose money. Brick and mortar cost money! Insurance companies are profit driven and will keep DME's honest.
Know what the heck you want when you go to a DME. Have your doctor prescribe a specific machine and mask of choice.
Don't know if I would want to do business with a firm that would supply a 1200.00 machine when they could get away with a 500.00 machine. Doesn't make sense!

And I thought it was just me.......

Apria in central NJ is probably the worse company I have ever dealt with, for any product.

They recently charged my insurance carrier, Cigna, over $600 for a Hybrid mask that cpap.com sells for $119. Total rip-off.

It is only due to all the good folks here at cpaptalk that I was able to get the gear I needed from Apria, and then only after I brought a list to my MD and had him copy it over to the prescription. I had to insist to the totally incompetent people at Apria that they would supply what the Dr. ordered.

I could go on and on about how bad they are. I am amazed that Cigna uses them. Both of my MD's do not recommend them at all.

Art

I've got you beat, Apria charged my insurance co. (Cigna also) $728 for the Hybrid and they paid out $540. Total rip off. I don't think the insurance co cares. I have called about Apria charging for masks that I returned and they do nothing. I was just charged $138 for a mask and I returned it the next day to get a larger size and they were just supposed to swap it out. You guessed it, they recharged for the $138 and Cigna paid it. I have called and they just can't be bothered. I was charged back in Nov. 08 for a respiratory class or something that Apria was supposed to credit back to Cigna and still haven't seen that corrected. I have given up calling. I wonder if Cigna has a fraud division I could call. My company is really the one getting ripped off because we have a self insured policy, in that Cigna just administers the claims and the Company pays them. Also I wish my Dr. would write my script for a brand name exactly what I want. She says she doesn't get into brand names, thats the insurance co's job so I get whatever Apria gives me. She did write a scrip for an Auto with data capability but I never could get A-Flex, just the older C- Flex machine. I guess I'm lucky I got that because the Dr. says I don't need C-Flex with an Auto!!!! Huhhh!!! I got tired of fighting with Apria about the A-Flex so I just accepted the C-Flex which now I don't even use so it worked out but I still would have liked to have the choice of getting the latest machine since the difference in what it cost is negligible. The things we have to go through to get equipment on top of trying to make it work is just a crime in my opinion. No one except the good people here are willing to help us navigate this maze. No wonder so many people give up. I would have except for this site. I still struggle, still am looking for a mask that fits and doesn't hurt, still don't sleep as much as I'd like to after 2 years on treatment. The quest goes on and I will just keep adding to my mountain of masks. I have been through at least 15. I'm scared the ins. co will stop giving them to me. I don't have a time limit on when I can get supplies, I'm very lucky to have such good coverage but I hate the waste of it.

janp wrote:

ApriaRT wrote:Hello to all! I am a RT with Apria Healthcare in Virginia. I have been involved with sleep for 20 years now and have been using cpap myself for the last 3 years. I am new to this site and have been reading through to see what cpap users are saying about Apria. I will tell everybody that Apria is working very hard to improve our overall service to sleep customers. I would like to hear good or bad and I am open to suggestions to improve our service to you. How can we better serve you? What would you like to see done to improve your experience with us? One last note, I cant fix the billing process and I can assure you that dealing with insurances and receiving payment from them is just as painful for us as it is you!

Hi ... and welcome to the feedback you've asked for.

..............

ApriaRT is gone. She made two posts on February 19 and then left.

Rooster
I will never ask that question again.

rooster wrote:ApriaRT is gone. She made two posts on February 19 and then left.

so the surprise is what?
just another sleep guide tactic? Really!

ApriaRT,

We haven't heard back from you. I'm guessing you've been scared off. Here are a few thoughts - somewhat randomly spewed like verbal diarrhea.

If you do a little digging on this site - google "apria site:cpaptalk.com" - you'll see that there are very few positive interactions with this company. Oddly, there has been no attempt by the company to explain why they charge the way they do. I think it might be an eye-opener for us if it were explained properly - without prevarication or equivocation - we might be willing to listen. Offer nothing less than full disclosure. Open your books. Show us why Apria deserves the money they charge, and why the insurance companies are willing to allow the charges.

Like many on this forum, I have had very bad experiences with Apria.

• I had to fight to get the machine I wanted. It took my threatening to buy it on-line for them to suddenly say they had the exact machine I wanted available. Regardless, I ended up paying more out of pocket for the machine than I would have if I had just bought it on line outright.
• I had to wait half an hour at my first appointment, even though I was the only patient there. They were standing around talking about personal things behind the counter. They weren't filing, entering data, or doing anything else. Just chatting - including the very same person who was supposed to be showing me the equipment.
• Prior to my first appointment, I told them I wanted to try two specific masks. When I got there, they wanted me to try a cheaper "Apria-approved" mask. She didn't even bring out the masks she said she had to special order for me to try on, as if this was exactly what was to be expected. It was just rude. I told her I wanted to try the masks we ordered - not this other mask. (It was obviously cheaper.)
• I tried a mask over the weekend. I hated it. When I wanted to change masks, I was told I bought it, I couldn't change it. So I had to buy yet another mask with my own money because she said the insurance wouldn't pay for another for six more months. (None of this was true. Much of it was pure misinformation.)
• They could get me a mask in a few days, but they couldn't get me a ten foot hose in less than six weeks. If I wanted a regular 6 foot hose, they could get that to me tomorrow. Apparently they didn't stock anything.
• After my second visit, I found out they had purposefully hidden the AHI readings available from the LCD screen on the machine. It was only through digging around on this forum that I even found out about it. When I told the RT I could see those readings, she said I shouldn't be able to, and then she stopped herself when she realized she'd been caught.
• At my third visit, they made me cry. I was tired, and felt abused. I don't like crying in front of strangers. I will never go back to Apria or another Brick and Mortar DME again.

Apria's Standard Operation Procedure seems to be to keep patients in the dark and spend as little time as possible actually educating the patient. Many of the RT's seem to be familiar with the physical aspects of running the machine, and how to test the pressure with a manometer, but have hardly any concept of what it means to actually use one.

If Apria, the corporate entity were an actual person, I suspect s/he would be charged with criminal psychological, physical and fiscal abuse that might put him/her in prison as a serial abuser. But we don't have a way to punish corporations in this country. They just pay 'lobby dues' to senators and representatives via their lobbyists, and that makes it okay. Then a senator will retire and become a major board member for some ridiculously princely fee. It's like paid absolution for sins by the Pope. They're free of any guilt after that. It makes me wonder how many casually-incidental third-degree murders companies like Apria and the associated health insurance companies have gotten away with.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion, but without any official response from companies like Apria, that's all I've got. Yes, I am cynical, but I'm willing to change my mind if Apria is willing to fully disclose what's actually going on.

The thing that gives you personally an edge over other DME's/RT's is that you use the machine yourself. I know it's unlikely that you actually can turn the cogs in the bigger wheels of Apria, but you can make a difference to the patients your service. That's a good thing. The suggestions you get here might at least help in that respect for a few happy patients in Virginia. Good for them!

Why don't DME's charge per visit with the RT like other medical professionals? Charging per piece of equipment and padding the cost of the RT's time seems like an inefficient way to get money into the pockets of DME employees who deserve it.

Why aren't RT's allowed to help patients self-titrate? Why isn't this treated more like Diabetes, where patients are shown how to administer the correct dose of insulin? Why aren't patients given an oximeter along with their XPAP? Too many questions. No answers from Docs, Insurance or RT's. Too many ex-senators and state reps on the boards of large medical corporations.