(all emphasis in original)Apria Healthcare is excited to tell you we have recently implemented a new Sleep Therapy Compliance Program to better manage your sleep therapy and help you obtain the best possible results....
With this new program, Apria Healthcare uses a simple, automated phone system to ask you a few short questions about your sleep therapy. Approximately every three months you will recieve a phone call from Apria Healthcare regarding the following issues:
--Equipment usage/function
--Possible irritation problems (eye, skin, or sinus irritation)
--Possible Insurance or Doctor changes
--Supply reorders (mask, headgear, tubing, filters)
After you answer a few very important questions and order new supplies, a Customer Service Representative will personally contact you within 3-4 business days to discuss any co-payment or deductible amount that your insurance may require. Then, after we confirm the necessary billing information, we will immediately ship your supplies to your home or office.
If you took the letter at face-value, which I realize is a big leap of faith, it sounds like a neat new program.
However, the cynic in me noted this: The letter specifically says a "Customer Service Representative," not a Respiratory Therapist, will be contacting me.This tells me that the real reason for this new policy is to reduce workload on the RTs. Translation: this puts another layer between the RTs and the patient. It's exactly the opposite of wanting to supply "good service" to the patient.
Yesterday, I got this call and answered the automated questions carefully. (I said I didn't need a new mask as to avoid an auto shipment of the POS they originally gave me.) It'll be interesting to see if they do indeed follow-up within the 3-4 days. I've also since paid out-of-pocket for a Hybrid mask I love. Will they send me replacement supplies? That was a rhetorical question. I've read stories here about Apria not wanting to pay for Hybrids.
Doug.
