Question regarding ordering online

My insurance is blue cross blue shield. I was looking into buying my equipment online. Does anyone know how this works with the insurance company? I have a $4,000 out of network deductible. Will my purchase online be able to go against that deductible. I tried calling the insurance company but they were not much help.

Thanks!

JMO, but for now, I'd go with a local DME that will file your insurance for two reasons: 1. If there are problems with the cpap, you'll be able to deal with someone face to face. Be savvy since at least 1/2 will lie. 2. Because you won't have to worry about the insurance issue. Is there a reason you prefer to deal with an online company?

It depends on the insurance company and will they even recognize an online purchase as being "out of network".
When ordering from cpap.com they will supply you a standard insurance form that you can finish filling out so that you can submit it to your insurance company. If your insurance company will recognize online seller as an out of network provider then of course it will apply to your deductible.
You have already called your insurance company but if they can't tell you if they will recognize an online supplier...though I don't know why they wouldn't...you are kind of in limbo. I don't know why they can't give you a straight answer. We can't tell you what your insurance company will do with any certainty. Other forum members have been able to use cpap.com and have the costs fall under out of network purchases but each insurance company is different and even within a single insurance company there are many different plans. BlueCross/Blue Shield has probably thousands of different plans.

Kairosgrammy, I was looking online because the prices seem a lot cheaper online. I am contacting some local dme's as well. I kind of prefer to work with someone face to face but I need to watch the cost as well. I called back the insurance company the said they would contact the online company to verify if the purchase would fall under my deductible or not.

needmoresleep616 wrote:Kairosgrammy, I was looking online because the prices seem a lot cheaper online. I am contacting some local dme's as well. I kind of prefer to work with someone face to face but I need to watch the cost as well. I called back the insurance company the said they would contact the online company to verify if the purchase would fall under my deductible or not.

When/if the insurance company calls you back with an approval...GET IT IN WRITING!

Many insurance companies will only cover you if you buy from a local DME. Also be sure your DME is "in network" if applicable.

Be sure that they don't give you a cheap machine. Your insurance will probably have a contract with the DME that they pay the same for any machine. Some DMEs will try to sell you the cheapest machine they can get. You want to get the best machine you can.

It's REALLY important to your health to get a fully data capable machine.

Read up here to figure out what machines to be willing to get, and how to get a DME to provide you the right machine.

It all depends on the individual contract.
If the phone folks at BCBS will not tell you if out of network purchases will apply to your in-network deductible,
your benefits manager needs to help you get that information. My BCBS phone people were very helpful in my case.

needmoresleep616 wrote:I was looking online because the prices seem a lot cheaper online.

The online prices may NOT be less than the DME provider prices when you are insured.

See this other topic:

viewtopic/t74051/Cost-of-ResMed-S9-Auto ... ories.html