I'm having a "DME headache!!"

[btesterman]

I'm joining the ranks of those who are frustrated dealing with DMEs!! After four phone calls trying to get my billing straightened out (the Respitec billing reps seems to be clueless - or maybe just evil) I finally had to contact my insurance company's Resolution Department rep. to try to get through to them that I have actually overpaid $136 and do not owe them an additional $265. I've spent hours on the phone, had to fax proof of what I've paid them as they had no record at all of a $225 payment....... Now I not only have sleep apnea, but probably my blood pressure is through the roof. I thank God for the sweet lady from United who said she will take it over and deal with them. We'll see what happens.

[DreamOn]

You have my sympathy! I hope that everything gets resolved quickly for you!

[GumbyCT]

they had no record at all of a $225 payment....... Now I not only have sleep apnea, but probably my blood pressure is through the roof. I thank God for the sweet lady from United who said she will take it over and deal with them. We'll see what happens.

Unfortunately they seem to take advantage of the new folks. Some of the new folks tend to believe the DME's when they tell them 'wonderful things' then don't even give them a kiss.

Good Luck

[DreamOn]

Some of the new folks tend to believe the DME's when they tell them 'wonderful things' then don't even give them a kiss.

Yes Gumby, not even a kiss. They whisper sweet-nothings, pretending to love us, and after they get the money you don't hear from them. I feel so used.

[Nord]

Some of the new folks tend to believe the DME's when they tell them 'wonderful things' then don't even give them a kiss.

Yes Gumby, not even a kiss. They whisper sweet-nothings, pretending to love us, and after they get the money you don't hear from them. I feel so used.

In my area.. I went to 2 DME's and did not get a good feeling. I spent some hours on the phone talking with about a dozen other DME's and narrowed down to about 3 that I though might work reasonably. I had a second conversation with one and liked everything she said in my tests, and the way that she worked. I was sold at the first meeting and in just 2 months I have been very pleased.

If you can make a choice... it pays to shop and have lots of knowledge in the first place.

" A lawyer never asks a question that he doesn't know the answer to unless he wants to lose..."

Good luck... the bad ones just try to wear you down until you give up.

Nord

[DreamOn]

If you can make a choice... it pays to shop and have lots of knowledge in the first place.

Hi, Nord. You are absolutely right that it can help to shop around. I made calls to all the local in-network DMEs before making my choice. There weren't many to choose from, and I think that I probably made the best choice given the limited options.

But, unfortunately, you can't always trust that they will follow through with their initial promises. Mine hasn't, which has disappointed me. And they were recently bought out by a larger company with headquarters in another state, which is not looking good for customer service/billing.

I know that there are some excellent DME companies out there. They're not all bad. My RT has been excellent with mask fittings. It's just the company itself that isn't great. When I purchase equipment/masks out-of-pocket, I choose to shop online.

[btesterman]

My problems dealt mainly with the fact that when I purchased the initial equipment, January 15th, my insurance deductible hadn't been met. Now, perhaps the various companies handle billing/deductible issues differently BUT, if they're working in the billing department, it's their JOB to know how the various insurance companies handle deductibles - or find out. And how they could have "no record" of a payment I made (which went through my bank) is curious. It's also not the first time I've called them trying to get it straightened out. Incompetency or conspiracy? At any rate, I'm not letting them get away with it. Between dealing with my doctor's RT and the DME problems I've really learned to stand up and fight!

[DreamDiver]

There is a routine surgical procedure for the heartbreak of DMEH. (DME Headache).
You must perform a creditcardectomy. This will induce acreditcardia in the DME.
This is an outpatient procedure by which the credit card is severed from the DME's automated payment systems.

[Nord]

There is a routine surgical procedure for the heartbreak of DMEH. (DME Headache).
You must perform a creditcardectomy. This will induce acreditcardia in the DME.
This is an outpatient procedure by which the credit card is severed from the DME's automated payment systems.

DD

Thats good...

[btesterman]

Cute! However, this mess is exactly why I never do automatic withdraws. Maybe I'm a secret control freak but I don't want someone else deciding for me what I owe and taking it automatically. The initial mess up was that I just didn't know what I was doing. We newbies are still in a fog and tend to be so overwhelmed by all the info, equipment decisions etc. that I just kind of went along with what the DME told me. After almost 3 mos. on CPAP, I'm finally awake and started checking out my bills and insurance claims that are online. I guess I failed to tell Respitec I was recovering from the fog of OSA and had my gun out. Their window of opportunity to scam me is over!

[DreamDiver]

...I guess I failed to tell Respitec I was recovering from the fog of OSA and had my gun out. Their window of opportunity to scam me is over!

Go get 'em. It pays to be polite, though. 'Flies with honey', as they say. Look at your costs now. Chances are, you could be paying even more over the long run. Remember for next January - if payments roll through to next January - that your out of pocket starts all over - so the monthly cost will sky rocket. Add up the costs per month for what your insurance is paying and what you pay out of pocket. More often then not, you will find you are paying more just out of pocket than you would have if you just bought the machine on line. Worse - even after three months, you may find it's cheaper to simply buy the unit you want on line and finish renting with the DME by bringing their rented machine back and severing all ties with them.

If you have been entirely compliant with the therapy (more than 4 hours of mask time every night) tell your insurance you may have some options. Among these are to have insurance pay off your machine now, stop renting the machine and buy one out of pocket, or continue renting, but knowing what you are paying.

Consider too - part of what you are supposed to be paying for is the time and effort the DME is providing for you for support. It's bundled in with the machine. If you are just dropped a machine in your lap and all they're doing is sucking money out of your account without actually checking in on you, you may feel it's time to stop relations with the DME. Local OSA support groups and this forum are often more beneficial than some DME's.

Good luck. (Hey, for what it's worth, I hope that's a squirt gun... )

[btesterman]

I guess I just get irritated with incompetency (with so many people needing jobs, surely they could find people are would learn about insurance) and most certainly don't want to be taken advantage of. I was polite on the phone, just would not give in that I owed the $265. Once my insurance "you owe provider X amount" records are faxed to them from United and I've faxed proof of what I've paid, hopefully, they'll have to admit I don't owe anything. I'll give it a week and get back with the billing department to see where I stand. Don't expect that they'd contact me to tell me I've actually got $136 credit!! I just want to sit in a rocking chair on a front porch in Mayberry and eat bowls of ice cream with Barney - not deal with billing problems! (Don't we wish!)

[kevincoop]

Hi,
I work for a dme company (no I'm not the devil). Luckily I am working for a good one...finally. My one piece of advice for anyone who is having a bad time with their dme is to do a few things. First call your doctor. Let them know what is going on. Then call the DME company's accrediting agency. They will take a report from you and request that the company take steps to fix the issue.

Good Luck,
Kevin

[DreamDiver]

Hi,
I work for a dme company (no I'm not the devil). Some of them are pretty crappy. Luckily I am working for a good one...finally. My one piece of advice for anyone who is having a bad time with their dme is to do a few things. First call your doctor. Let them know what is going on. If the doctor is upset, they will not send referrals and the dme will have to change. Then call the sleep lab. Sleep labs will help refer people to the best dme. If one is getting complaints, they will send people somewhere else. Then call the DME company's accrediting agency. They will take a report from you and request that the company take steps to fix the issue.
I have been using stories from people like you to help make our company better. I don't have control over billing, but I can do a better job of the setup. Plus if the customers and doctors request that someone be set up by me, I have a little more weight that I can throw around to get the billing department to do what needs to be done to keep my customers happy. I have stepped in several times and asked the billing company to write off balances to make someone happy etc.
Good Luck,
Kevin

Wow, thanks for the excellent advice, Kevin. If you can make the Atlanta CPAPTalk meeting on the 17th, that would be great. If not, no problem. (Go Dawgs!)

[kevincoop]

I was planning on it, but am on call that weekend and have to stay close. Hopefully next time.