CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
TiredOfDMEs

CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by TiredOfDMEs » Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:21 am

I went to my local Lincare to pick up a new CPAP hose. The price they quoted me was out of this world. I complained to the lady that I could buy it for 1/3 the price online. She proceeded to tell me that they have purchased CPAPSupplyUSA and I might want to order it from there.

Lincare has been screwing me for years with extremly high prices for filters, hoses and mask, terrible service and a careless attitude. Now they purchase a reputable online store and want me to by from them....NEVER. If they are willing to sell me a hose for 1/3 the price online why can I not walk in their locale store and buy it for the same price. They would be the winner as they would save on shipping and provide me the ability to get the product immediately.

They do not even state on CPAPSupplyUSA site that they now own it. I guess they think customers will continue to be stupid and purchase from them. Until they change their policy and sell to me locally at the same price as they sell online I will not support this internet store. There are to many other online stores that have provide CPAP supplies for reasonable prices for years and have great service. Word of the day: BOYCOTT!

nanwilson
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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by nanwilson » Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:27 am

I would suggest you order from cpap.com, they are the hosts of cpaptalk.
Started cpap in 2010.. still at it with great results.

Got2lift
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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by Got2lift » Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:46 am

It is true. Here is lincare's registration:

http://trademarks.justia.com/856/18/cpa ... 18289.html

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avi123
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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by avi123 » Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 am

There is a Lincare near me and I was given their address by my sleep doc. What's wrong with them?
You need to register to be taken seriously.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by LSAT » Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:01 am

If you are paying out of pocket rather than using insurance, you will ALWAYS do better ordering on line. Most DMEs have multiple sites...each site has a building with payrolls, benefits and taxes...they cannot meet on line prices where everything comes from a single warehouse. This is not to say that the DME doesn't overprice items, but mostly they price at MSR prices. They hardly ever get those prices from insurance.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by retrodave15 » Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:04 am

Hopefully Linde can whip Lincare back into shape. I have used Linde, I get my welding gasses for my home shop from them, and have nothing but good experiences with them.

I found this interesting story in the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 48320.html

With this interesting quote:
Lincare was originally an offshoot of Linde AG: as Linde Homecare Medical Systems, it grew out of Linde's Americas business at the beginning of the 20th century. That company was acquired by Union Carbide in 1917, and Lincare was carved out from Union Carbide in 1987.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by Slinky » Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:15 am

Lincare has a reputation for being an Apria copy-cat as a local CPAP provider. Just as bad only somewhat smaller. As w/Apria there are a FEW good offices, but very few.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by sleepycarol » Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:30 pm

Here is my experience with Lincare.

Initially I used a locally owned DME and when they tried to convince that the M series Plus machine had full data capability, I gave them back their brick and went to Lincare (not many choices in our small community). I went into Lincare and they supplied me with an M series Apap with C-flex. I didn't realize that the A-flex was being introduced and was a newer machine at the time. I was happy and the machine provided me with great therapy.

I went in to get a nasal mask and was told they only carry the OptiLife -- take it or leave it. I asked if they could special order was told no. OptiLife was my only choice. I went ahead and took it, but didn't like the way it fit or the pressure it caused on my nose. They were of no help. Supplies were supposed to be sent automatically. About a year after I received my initial supplies I received an open box in the mail with filters, hose, and a F & P full face cushion (which was my initial mask). Okay -- what about the regular shipments? I only received supplies that one time. I never called and asked since I found it cheaper and more economical to buy online.

Fast forward to my son-in-law getting his diagnosis. I suggested that the doctor write the script specific for machine (A Resmed S8 Autoset II). He asked me to go with him to give Lincare the script and was assured no problem getting that particular machine. When he went to pick it, I went with him, they had a Resmed Escape Auto. I told them that they hadn't followed the script that he wante dthe Autoset due to the data. They argued with me and I suggested he not take the machine but he whimped out and took it and "said it didn't matter to him". I then noticed several nasal pillow masks on a shelf and asked if they were now carrying more than the OptiLife and was informed no -- those were samples that didn't adhere to "their standards" and the OptiLife was the only nasal pillow mask they carried. I asked if they would consider ordering a specific mask and was told no.

No one ever called either of us to check on our progress.

My son-in-law used his machine for several months and has hit a road block and has quit using his. I have suggested he use my Autoset so we can find out what is going on and so far havent' convinced him.

Hummmm do they care? No.
Start Date: 8/30/2007 Pressure 9 - 15
I am not a doctor or other health care professional. Comments reflect my own personal experiences and opinions.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by avi123 » Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:45 pm

LSAT wrote:If you are paying out of pocket rather than using insurance, you will ALWAYS do better ordering on line. Most DMEs have multiple sites...each site has a building with payrolls, benefits and taxes...they cannot meet on line prices where everything comes from a single warehouse. This is not to say that the DME doesn't overprice items, but mostly they price at MSR prices. They hardly ever get those prices from insurance.
Reply,

This info is wrong about my DME who also sells at low prices as an ordinary online seller (under different comany name but same website). My DME also does Sleep Study, on the building upper floor, under a third company name. What else is new? You need to have good lawyers.
One thing my DME does not do that online sellers do: the online sellers are "open" on weekend and holidays while my DME does not.

_________________
Mask: Mirage™ SoftGel Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments:  S9 Autoset machine; Ruby chinstrap under the mask straps; ResScan 5.6
see my recent set-up and Statistics:
http://i.imgur.com/TewT8G9.png
see my recent ResScan treatment results:
http://i.imgur.com/3oia0EY.png
http://i.imgur.com/QEjvlVY.png

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retrodave15
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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by retrodave15 » Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:08 am

sleepycarol wrote:They were of no help. Supplies were supposed to be sent automatically. About a year after I received my initial supplies I received an open box in the mail with filters, hose, and a F & P full face cushion (which was my initial mask). Okay -- what about the regular shipments? I only received supplies that one time. I never called and asked since I found it cheaper and more economical to buy online.
This story sounds so familiar - My wife was "assigned" Lincare by the sleep lab she used, they gave her a F&P brick. When she when to the pulmonologist's office, he went through through roof as he was not set up to read data from the F&P machines. We went back to Lincare with a DAW script for a PR-S1 machine and Lincare refused to switch out the machine. We returned all the supplies, machine and fired Lincare, we even told them to come out to the house and P/U the O2 concentrator and her portable O2. Then I switched her over to my DME and got exactly what the doc wanted for her. All this happened Last December.

3 weeks ago a "mystery" box show's up on my porch, it is a 3 month supply box with a new mask, hose, and filters for my wife, from Lincare. We had never heard from them until this box showed up. I took me several phone calls to get a return authorization and return shipping labels. I find it interesting that they shipped and billed my insurance in the last week of my plan year, as my insurance year runs July 1 to June 30. I am still trying to get Lincare to stop billing me for a machine I no long own as well. I just sent a letter to Lincare regarding all these billing issues and copied my insurance company, the State AG's office and the State department that licensees DME's that operate in the state.

We can complain about Lincare here, but we need to also take the complains further up the line as well. With Linde taking over, you can always copy the new board of directors with these issues. I did this with some issues I was having with Circuit City, when they were around, regarding a TV I purchased. After I got no satisfaction at the local and regional level, I sent a letter detailing my complaint to every board of director and the CEO of the company. I was amazed how quickly the issue was resolved to my satisfaction.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by SleepDepraved2 » Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:25 am

Lincare is my DME. So far, I have gotten good service. My insurance pays 100% of the cost as long as you pick a DME on their list and Lincare is one of them.The office I use does nothing but CPAP and has a wide variety of masks displayed in the lobby when you go in. I was not offered a choice of masks or machines, but then I didn't know I had a choice. I was given a Quattro FX and the Resmed S9 Bilevel VPAP because that's what my doctor must have prescribed. I was told that if the mask does not work out, I could try a different one. While I'm sure some offices are as described, there are some good ones out there. Hard to tell with mine, since I just started though. So far so good. Obviously, I didn't see the prices on the equipment, so can't compare war stories there. However, I do live in a large metropolitan area, so if a business treats its customers badly, it's really easy just to find a new one so that might have something to do with it. The insurance company I have has a pretty big list of DME's to choose from.

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retrodave15
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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by retrodave15 » Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:59 am

As with all large companies - service varies from region to region and office to office. I have heard many complaints regarding Lincare in this area, and many people do not realize that that they have a choice and put up with the bad service.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by archangle » Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:19 am

SleepDepraved2 wrote:Lincare is my DME. So far, I have gotten good service.
Who's going to take the word of a dark lord of the Sith?

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by SleepDepraved2 » Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:36 am

archangle wrote:
SleepDepraved2 wrote:Lincare is my DME. So far, I have gotten good service.
Who's going to take the word of a dark lord of the Sith?
But there is good in me, Luke said so.

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Re: CPAPSupplyUSA Goes Down the Drain with Lincare Take over

Post by DiverCTHunter » Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:47 am

SleepDepraved2 wrote:
archangle wrote:
SleepDepraved2 wrote:Lincare is my DME. So far, I have gotten good service.
Who's going to take the word of a dark lord of the Sith?
But there is good in me, Luke said so.
Besides, can't you hear the world's smallest violin

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