Monthly Data Download Charges

[GTOJim]

My wife just received a bill bill from her DME with monthly data download charges, March to June totaled $24.07, it's called Data Management and download. She got the machine just over a year ago and since then the DME has twice requested her SD card. I took her card in two weeks ago. Questioned why we can't provide a print out. I was told their software provides more detail than software for home use.
I will be calling them Monday or Tuesday asking for more detailed information, it should be interesting on how they justify the charges.

Her CPAP does not have a modem.

[hobbs]

Tell them to "pound sand".

[pettyfan45]

She might want to go down to the DME and talk a manager, someone might have made clerical error.

[LSAT]

My wife just received a bill bill from her DME with monthly data download charges, March to June totaled $24.07, it's called Data Management and download. She got the machine just over a year ago and since then the DME has twice requested her SD card. I took her card in two weeks ago. Questioned why we can't provide a print out. I was told their software provides more detail than software for home use.
I will be calling them Monday or Tuesday asking for more detailed information, it should be interesting on how they justify the charges.

Her CPAP does not have a modem.

What a rip off...Have they ever called you about your data? If necessary take a print out when you see your doctor...if he doesn't want to see it there is no reason for your DME to see it.

[Sir NoddinOff]

And just when we thought DMEs couldn't sink any lower... TA DA...

The sad/funny part is that nobody within the DME's office ever bothers to look at the results and that's probably a good thing cuz they are so uninformed.

This all reminds me of the warnings some insiders are saying about Windows 10 and how they are slouching towards a universal OS subscription charge just to keep your personal computer running.

[avi123]

My wife just received a bill bill from her DME with monthly data download charges, March to June totaled $24.07, it's called Data Management and download. She got the machine just over a year ago and since then the DME has twice requested her SD card. I took her card in two weeks ago. Questioned why we can't provide a print out. I was told their software provides more detail than software for home use.
I will be calling them Monday or Tuesday asking for more detailed information, it should be interesting on how they justify the charges.

Her CPAP does not have a modem.

This DME may know about OSA treatment more than posters on this board do. Who knows?

[palerider]

My wife just received a bill bill from her DME with monthly data download charges, March to June totaled $24.07, it's called Data Management and download. She got the machine just over a year ago and since then the DME has twice requested her SD card. I took her card in two weeks ago. Questioned why we can't provide a print out. I was told their software provides more detail than software for home use.
I will be calling them Monday or Tuesday asking for more detailed information, it should be interesting on how they justify the charges.

Her CPAP does not have a modem.

This DME may know about OSA treatment more than posters on this board do. Who knows?

certainly more than you do.

[Pugsy]

Oh man...I would be marching my little butt down to their office and plopping a copy of ResScan's detailed report on their desk and telling them to prove to me that "their software offers more details" than what I used at home and watch them squirm.
Then tell them they would no longer be getting any business from me for anything.
I would be so pissed off.

[Pap-Daddy]

Oh man...I would be marching my little butt down to their office and plopping a copy of ResScan's detailed report on their desk and telling them to prove to me that "their software offers more details" than what I used at home and watch them squirm.
Then tell them they would no longer be getting any business from me for anything.
I would be so pissed off.

What Pugsy said... now the problem is the DME does need a copy (on file, in case of audit) to get paid. It should not be a problem if you can provide it as the serial # will be on the report and the DME will know which SN they issued to you.

But since the insurance requires this document they will likely cover the cost. I have furnished a copy to my doc and the dme can get it from them.

[greatunclebill]

this is easy. you should have or can get an explanation of benefits for your machine. this is the contract between you, the dme and the insurer that says who pays what. if this charge is not within the 4 corners of the eob, you don't owe it and they are attempting to defraud the insurance co.

[RogerSC]

Wow, what a rip. I do take my SD card to my sleep doctor once a year and he verifies for Medicare that I'm compliant. And we also talk about the data, answer any questions that I may have, the usual doctor's visit. The DME is NOT involved, and there's no monthly doo-dah. I think that this DME does this for the extra money...anyone who tells them where to go most likely never hears from the DME about this one again.

[Pap-Daddy]

For medicare the doc and the dme are both involved. Esp. if you are still in compliance and the dme is billing medicare, they will denied payment if the download is not submitted "by them".
IOW - even if the doc submits the download for that period the dme also has to submit the same download. You may not be aware of it but that is what happens.

[Sir NoddinOff]

GTOjim... This is such an unusual trend that I think everybody would like to know which DME it is, especially if it's one that is well known. I can't see that naming them would do any harm, but that's just my opinion. Especially in regards to your last stunning sentence:

Her CPAP does not have a modem.

[GTOJim]

Sorry for taking so long to update. The name of the DME is Oxygen Plus located in Walnut Creek California.

The DME has a legitimate way of billing monthly for data downloads which the insurance company does allow.

After spending a very long time discussing the issue with my wife's insurance, with very few exceptions, insurance requires some form of monitoring. I didn't get the full description but the partial is " Monitor Feature/Device Sent One Integrated" with something about monitoring internal electronics and items attached to the machine. The supervisor did not know if this monitor was something attached to the machine or integrated. She only knows what's on her computer screen.

The charges on my wife's bill from the DME are described as Data Management and Download. Maybe the DME uses this description as its' easier for most people to understand rather than the insurance companies definition for the billing code the DME is using.

Before speaking with my wife's insurance, I had a face to face with my wife's DME which was pretty interesting.

I started with a compliance print out and asked what was missing that the insurance requires? (originally told, software at home could not provide all requirements) My question caused quite a bit of confusion, I had to repeat the question several times, followed by a couple minutes of whispering while I stood at the counter watching. Eventually the printout was taken to a back office, after a couple of minutes I could hear raised voices. The printout returned 15 minutes later, I was told my report was for 30 days, the insurance also requires 90 days. I said no problem I can include a 90 report. Then a different person explained, my wife's insurance company requires the use of the DME's software only and will not accept any reports from me.

Ok I've got two more questions. How long have you been billing my wife for data downloads and please explain charging monthly fee's for something you did twice in one year? (DME requested my wife's SD card twice in 12 months) The first answer was the the SD card and the CPAP have different billing codes and have to be billed separately for ten months. I responded billing monthly for an SD card which comes with the machine, I've never heard of such a thing. At this point the young woman was obviously getting very flustered, turned to her co-workers practically begging when she asked for someone to help her out. Then I'm told my wife's medical group requires the DME to bill her insurance company monthly for downloading the data from my wife's SD card.

Very smart group of people, they apparently knew all this information about her medical group and insurance without looking any of it up.

On the drive home thinking about the DME, I found myself getting angry and called my wife's insurance.

[chunkyfrog]

My DME has done absolutely NO data games.
Medicare will not pay them for that.
My pneumonologist asks for my SD card once a year.
He is one of the rare ones who understands data.
A geek after my own heart!