My machine is a rental?

[AdamRRT]

But you'll have no support to go with it.

What support? Please detail the support that almost nobody here has been provided with.

What? I don't know what problems you're having, but by support I mean the only support that's part of it. As in if your machine stops working, you can bring it in and get a loaner while yours is shipped off for an estimate. Or you can call the after hours number if it's an EMERGENCY, and get a call back within an hour to help you address the issue. What support are you needing from a retailer that you're not getting that results in such a strange attitude and odd request toward me. I don't know you and doubt you're my customer, but I'll gladly admit not everyone can be made happy. Especially if they have unrealistic expectations.

OP: you actually DO matter to the DMEs I've worked for. They take unhappy patients very seriously, if it's a reasonable issue. If you want a machine that gives AHI & leak (Pro 460 over a Plus 260) just have the doc write "with AHI and leak detection" on the script. Depending on your insurance and the company, you may be charged the difference, but no DME I've worked for has done that.

You guys are right though, the referral source is sadly the most important factor for some providers. Part of the ignorant health care system we have, where we worry more about insurance than paying for things ourselves. If we had gone free market, we as patients/customers would matter much more I believe. But instead we are moving toward greater integration between patient, insurance, and government.

[chunkyfrog]

Sadly, most of the DME's I've dealt with have little interest in anything beyond the bottom line.
But they are businesses. I just think it's arrogant to pretend they really give a little brown plop.

[BlackSpinner]

But you'll have no support to go with it.

What support? Please detail the support that almost nobody here has been provided with.

What? I don't know what problems you're having, but by support I mean the only support that's part of it. As in if your machine stops working, you can bring it in and get a loaner while yours is shipped off for an estimate. Or you can call the after hours number if it's an EMERGENCY, and get a call back within an hour to help you address the issue. What support are you needing from a retailer that you're not getting that results in such a strange attitude and odd request toward me. I don't know you and doubt you're my customer, but I'll gladly admit not everyone can be made happy. Especially if they have unrealistic expectations.

What alternate dimension do you live in? After hours emergency calls? You have got to be kidding!

Support from the dme like fitting a mask maybe somehow I don't believe that some one sitting several feet away across a big desk can really see if a mask is leaking when you hold it up to your face, I really think it is not unrealistic for a dme sales person to be as competent as the average shoe sales person?

If we had gone free market, we as patients/customers would matter much more I believe. But instead we are moving toward greater integration between patient, insurance, and government.

Trust me, free market doesn't help us here in Canada one bit.

[AdamRRT]

Canada and free market in the same sentence regarding health care? I mean no offense, but I'm not sure that you know what the term "free market" means. Canada has socialized medicine, not free market, from my understanding. Prime example that government involvement is almost always a bad thing. Free market means truly allowing the market to decide prices, successes, etc.

I know I'm new here and I promise I'm not trying to be a smart alec. But what are you talking about someone sitting across the desk from you? Anytime you want to try to fit a new mask, you should bring your machine with you and definitely insist that you try the mask on with the machine hooked up to it, blowing your maximum pressure. The respiratory therapist or other employee should insist upon this anyway, but many are inexperienced and others - sadly - just don't care. There's no other way to ensure a correct fit. If your DME isn't doing that for you, I would complain also. I can't imagine not doing that for a patient.

And this isn't rare. It's the way things are done, at least in my region. It makes me sad to hear that you guys are getting treated so badly. There's really no excuse for that.

So there is some of the support provided. I hope that helps you understand a bit. I will say that with reimbursements being cut back, and me being in an area where medicare and medicaid makeup approximately 70% of our store's income, I wouldn't be surprised at all to find our support getting cut back significantly in the near future. I believe that most deliveries will be a thing of the past on any item that can be carried. After hours calls will probably end up being charged to the patient. Its already to the point that we can't afford to deliver a CPAP mask unless we are already in the area for other deliveries. It's only getting worse with the Obamacare commie crap. Just my 2cc.

[BlackSpinner]

Canada and free market in the same sentence regarding health care? I mean no offense, but I'm not sure that you know what the term "free market" means. Canada has socialized medicine, not free market, from my understanding. Prime example that government involvement is almost always a bad thing. Free market means truly allowing the market to decide prices, successes, etc.

I suggest you learn something about what you think are talking about. Because to say it nicely - you haven't got a clue what you are blithering about. DME's are not government controlled and in many provinces not covered at all - You do know it is different by province don't you? DME's are controlled by the manufacturers in true free market style.

But what are you talking about someone sitting across the desk from you? Anytime you want to try to fit a new mask, you should bring your machine with you and definitely insist that you try the mask on with the machine hooked up to it, blowing your maximum pressure. The respiratory therapist or other employee should insist upon this anyway, but many are inexperienced and others - sadly - just don't care. There's no other way to ensure a correct fit. If your DME isn't doing that for you, I would complain also. I can't imagine not doing that for a patient.

Yes - free market business - profit before customer.

[zoocrewphoto]

When I asked for smaller headgear for my mask, the DME told me that it did not exist. I sent the info off Resmed's website with the order number. They told me they couldn't order it. That is the last time i bothered to call them. No service there. And if I can't trust them on something easily verified, how can I trust them on anything else?

[AdamRRT]

Canada and free market in the same sentence regarding health care? I mean no offense, but I'm not sure that you know what the term "free market" means. Canada has socialized medicine, not free market, from my understanding. Prime example that government involvement is almost always a bad thing. Free market means truly allowing the market to decide prices, successes, etc.

I suggest you learn something about what you think are talking about. Because to say it nicely - you haven't got a clue what you are blithering about. DME's are not government controlled and in many provinces not covered at all - You do know it is different by province don't you? DME's are controlled by the manufacturers in true free market style.

But what are you talking about someone sitting across the desk from you? Anytime you want to try to fit a new mask, you should bring your machine with you and definitely insist that you try the mask on with the machine hooked up to it, blowing your maximum pressure. The respiratory therapist or other employee should insist upon this anyway, but many are inexperienced and others - sadly - just don't care. There's no other way to ensure a correct fit. If your DME isn't doing that for you, I would complain also. I can't imagine not doing that for a patient.

Yes - free market business - profit before customer.

Good to hear. That's why I said "from my understanding". I've always heard the medical system in Canada was communist (socialized medicine controlled by government. So do people there not use the free market to put such bad business practices out of business?