the devil sells medical supplies

[boston]

Having started therapy in october, the whole situation has been a nightmare. I KNOW I wouldnt have made it this far without this forum and the attitude that it WILL work for me. There is no quitting, period.

My DME office must be the brain dead employment agency from hell. The apap i got from them worked flawlessley, except the card reader. So last friday they switched out my machine for a recertified one, I told them I was not comfortable with this, as insurance would only pay for 1 machine every 5 years. Kept telling me they will cover anything on this machine just as new, dont worry, I asked several times, for 2 or 5 years, sidestepped the question everytime.

So I finally accept the machine and bring it home. Friday night, it is louder than the old one, with identical settings. Saturday night, has odd whistling noise part way through night. Sunday night, same noise, and for the first time since I started therapy, I get up several times to use the restroom. I have not done this since starting therapy, ever. According to the LCD my AHI has gone from .5 on the old machine to 13 on this one, only thing changed was the machine. It also feels like its making me breathe differently.

And this whole situation is really upsetting since I am (or was) just now on the edge of getting that refreshed feeling in the morning.

I am not happy with this machine, will call insurance today and see what they have to say. One way or another, Im geting a new machine. Either they will give me one, or I am returning it and buying from cpap.com.

[Slinky]

You have my sympathies. And my very best wishes for good luck in getting the RIGHT xPAP "and" this DME supplier deep into a world of poop!

[slapmeawake1]

Apria did the exact same thing to me. I called them on it and they swapped it for a new one. If your insurance company paid for a new one then you should report them but some insurances allow the DME's to give you used or reconditioned machines. Find out if they paid for a new one like my insurance did and then demand that they swap it. It is criminal all the lies and deceitful things that they do. I think we should form a class action and demand better care. After all, its only our lives we are talking about here. If we can't get restorative good sleep our health will quickly go downhill and they will pay more money to fix the problems that causes. I'm so angry at all the lies I have been told by my Dr. and DME which is Apria. I thank God for this forum. Without it I would be totally lost and not know my rights. Keep at it and get your machine switched and I wish you better therapy and good sleep.

[Bluebonnet_Gal]

Your subject line made me laugh

Thanks for the giggle this morning - I needed it!

I sympathize with your situation though. I also feel like I've taken a step backwards, but for a different reason. I actually got a better machine, but I think the settings need to be adjusted to optimize my therapy. Like you, I'm not going to give up. This WILL work for me. If it weren't for this forum, I don't know that I'd be as confident that I WILL make this work!

Hang in there and get the new machine that you deserve!

[hose head]

I read your subject line and thought, wow somebody else has my DME. I am playing the waiting game to see if my insurance company will pay for my S8 Autoset II. If they deny the claim, I will buy from online dealer. Then the only reason to see DME is for masks. My DME charged insurance company $235 for Swift LT. Less than a hundred twenty five online. And when I buy it online I get all of the sizes of pillows for the mask not just the size the woman at the DME thinks I need. The only good thing is at the DME I don't have to pay anything for masks, and insurance company will buy "as needed" not just once every six months.

[skittles]

I no longer deal with the DME simply because they are uncaring idiots.

Enough said

Skittles

[Debjax]

I don't buy reconditioned or refurbed items, since I work on the assumption that it was broken when it went in....it's probably still broken on the way out (if not, why the shorter warranties?).... If I have an item still under warranty that is only a few months old and they choose to replace rather than fix, I expect a new item in return and will fight for it. In my experience, the one time it happened to me a number of years ago, I had 3 years left on the original warranty. When the refurbed product was offered, it was offered with a 90 day warranty (but you had to read the fine print on the receipt they wanted me to sign). We had a rather sharp discussion and the item was replaced with a new one and original warranty honored.

[Bluebonnet_Gal]

I read your subject line and thought, wow somebody else has my DME. I am playing the waiting game to see if my insurance company will pay for my S8 Autoset II. If they deny the claim, I will buy from online dealer. Then the only reason to see DME is for masks. My DME charged insurance company $235 for Swift LT. Less than a hundred twenty five online. And when I buy it online I get all of the sizes of pillows for the mask not just the size the woman at the DME thinks I need. The only good thing is at the DME I don't have to pay anything for masks, and insurance company will buy "as needed" not just once every six months.

My very first trip to the DME, the DME charged my insurance $695.001. Charges at agreed pricing (my DME is In Network) are $338.93. They charged more than double what they were contracted with my insurance.

A few weeks later I went in because of mouth leaks and walked out with a cheap-o chin strap. They charged my insurance $40.00. Charges at agreed pricing were $8.82. What a difference!!!!!!!!!!

Now I'm waiting to see how insurance will handle the ResMed VPAP Auto 25 I picked up last Friday!

[roster]

I read your subject line and thought, wow somebody else has my DME. .......

HH, That is a very nasty DME you are dealing with. From another of your posts:

............ I struggled with masks issues with my DME, who acted like they would only give me masks once every six months. I called insurance company and they said, "no, I could get a mask if the one I had wasn't working" The first two masks, the DME made me return the ones I couldn't get to work, after conversation with insurance company I realized that the insurance company had paid for those masks, and my new ones.
The last time I started having problems, I took my machine into DME because they told me they could download data(there was a charge to insurance company for this service) to see what was happening in my therapy. No, machine just listed compliance data. The woman at DME then told me the insurance company would take back my machine because I wasn't compliant. I later found out and this point the insurance company had paid for machine and it was now mine. I could go on, but the bottom line is talk to insurance company and see what you are covered for.

[boston]

Okay, my morning went like this:

1st call : to insurance to find out my options, say they will NOT reimburse me for online purchases even if coded correctly (aetna is my insurance), that they will only rent for 11 months.

2nd call : to Apria (i know, i know, but they were the only ones I could think of that were in the yellow pages), they have the identical equipment I need and seem eager to help me (or at least rape my wallet)

3rd call : to my current DME, (been there so much in the last week, she recognized my voice)
I say that this machine isnt working, before I can say anything, she says well, we swapped it once, theres nothing else we can do.
So I say, well, I guess I will be returning this one to you and be finding another provider. Without even missing a beat or taking a breath, she says, well just bring it in and we will give you a new one. I say thank you and hang up.

After work, I run home and grab my unit, go over to their office, and Im really dreading this interaction, not having slept well this weekend, I tend to be kinda bitchy and a bastard when Im sleep deprived , but on the other hand it may help me get what I want. Im too nice when rested. I walk in and they start out with if I go somewhere else, Ill have to do and pay for another sleep study since mines 3 months old now, I tell them no I wont, I already have found a unit online, identical for $700, they kinda shut up, give me a brand new unit, with all supplies that come with it including another case, hose, and filters. Bring it home, hook it up and it seems to work perfectly. Now I just need to order that card reader and I dont need to see them again. Unless this machine has any problems. (fingers crossed)

[Slinky]

Good on you, Boston! Well done! And congratulations.