DME switched machines on me today....TERRIBLE.....

[elazarus]

I brought in my Remstar M Auto as my doctor wanted the setting changed from 8 to 10......The auto was set at 7-12.

They gave me the "Plain Jane" Basic M series...no card, and this thing sounds like a vacuum cleaner. No way I can use it and sleep.

Talk about a cheap machine and the mark up factor as they give you the least and probably get more from the Insurance company.

Too bad for the DME that I have to call the Doctor's office in the morning and explain the facts of sleep.

You folks have taught me enough to be dangerous and that I am responsible for my own healthcare.

Thursday is not a good DME day.

Elliot

[Snoredog]

could have sworn we warned you in advance of that bait-n-switch tactic.

Being in the sleep medicine business is like having a legal license to steal, it is why most of us said screw the DME, screw insurance and their doctors and took control over our own therapy.

[RosemaryB]

I brought in my Remstar M Auto as my doctor wanted the setting changed from 8 to 10......The auto was set at 7-12.
]

If the doctor wanted it set at a pressure range of 8-10, you cannot do that with a plain jane machine, only an auto. I'd give them h@ll about that. I'd say somemthing like "There must be a mistake" "Who authorized this? My I have the name of that person? Are they an MD?" "This does not follow the prescription that my doctor ordered. Do you know that I'm now at risk for complications such as heart attack and stroke unless I'm following what my doctor prescribed and you have made it impossible for me to do so." Ask them if you need to write a letter to the person who made that decision to that effect. (Translation: they may be headed for a big lawsuit). I'd say this in a very calm but authoritative voice.

If I went to the pharmacy for blood pressure meds and the pharmacist decided to give me a different blood pressure medication at a different strength for my blood pressure it would be like what they are doing, IMHO. They might say "Oh, well that medication doesn't come in the strength the doc prescribed" but that would be no excuse for such behavior.

[Wulfman...]

I brought in my Remstar M Auto as my doctor wanted the setting changed from 8 to 10......The auto was set at 7-12.
]

If the doctor wanted it set at a pressure range of 8-10, you cannot do that with a plain jane machine, only an auto. I'd give them h@ll about that. I'd say somemthing like "There must be a mistake" "Who authorized this? My I have the name of that person? Are they an MD?" "This does not follow the prescription that my doctor ordered. Do you know that I'm now at risk for complications such as heart attack and stroke unless I'm following what my doctor prescribed and you have made it impossible for me to do so." Ask them if you need to write a letter to the person who made that decision to that effect. (Translation: they may be headed for a big lawsuit). I'd say this in a very calm but authoritative voice.

If I went to the pharmacy for blood pressure meds and the pharmacist decided to give me a different blood pressure medication at a different strength for my blood pressure it would be like what they are doing, IMHO. They might say "Oh, well that medication doesn't come in the strength the doc prescribed" but that would be no excuse for such behavior.

Rose,

His doctor wanted to change him from a single pressure of 8 to a single pressure of 10.

Den

[elazarus]

Thank you for your input.

I see that I used the machine for 1:06 last night....you cannot read any number like with the Auto. There is no card in the machine so how can we see what the long term is?

We know the answer to that question. If I am correct (Politically correct way of saying) then this will not do and I am calling the Doctor to either give me what I want or tomorrow I will see my Family Practice Doctor and have him write a prescription and buy it from our hosts here at CPAP.com.

What a game....and a sad one at that.

Regards

Elliot

[Slinky]

Well, there's nothing to make a local DME supplier wake up and smell the reality coffee like having their xPAP machine slapped back on their desk w/a great big REFUSED accompanying it. They might smell the roses of reality and give you a fully data capable CPAP rather than lose your business money entirely. As for whether they wake up enough to provide you w/an AutoPAP ..... well, mebbe. Don't hold your breath on that one.

Hopefully, your sleep doctor will help you out on this one. Good luck!!

[elazarus]

Thank you Slinky.

Actually, I don't care if they wake up or not. They get the machine back tomorrow (too stormy here today to drive there) and I left a message for my Neurologist/Sleep Doctor's assistant.

I made an appointment with my Family Practice Doctor for tomorrow at 1:30 and I will bring my folder. We will see if he will write a prescription for what I need and if so, I can go the my "Private DME" here in Austin so I have a machine for the weekend or order one tomorrow from here and get it on Monday and submit the claim to my insurance company for re-imbursement.

If the Neurologist does not respond by then, then it is goodbye. If the Family Practice Doctor does not write it after showing him the data...goodbye to him as well.

It is time to get this handled and get it handled to my satisfaction and more importantly, the best treatment for me.

And, yes, All these same war stories have been talked about on this forum. Now Playtime is over.

Regards

Elliot

[amandalee]

Ugh. How totally frustrating.
I'd be sure to let your insurance company know about the DME's "bait & switch."
True, that sometimes insurance companies are just as bad as the DMEs, but since the insurance code for straight CPAP and AutoPAP are the same, it might be useful to tell the insurance company that the DME started you off on a good machine, then switched you to a crappy one that you can't use, but is still collecting the same amount of money from them.
You could also remind your insurance company that proper treatment of OSA puts you at a lower risk for a whole host of health problems like obesity, high blood pressure, heart problems, etc; as well as a lower risk of car accidents from falling asleep behind the wheel. Making sure you have good treatment that you can be compliant with is in your best interest as well as your insurance's. Make sure they realize this, and tell them that the DME is jerking you around and making it so you can't comply with your xPAP therapy.
It's good that you've contacted your doctor. The insurance company may or may not be helpful, but when dealing with DMEs it is probably best to complain to as many people as possible in the hopes of finding someone who can actually help.

Good luck!

[dieselgal]

You should never have left the machine there today. I bet someone here could have told you how to change the pressure. Once they have it in their grubby little hands you have to go through hell to get it back.

[elazarus]

Ijust received a call from my Sleep Doctor/Neurologist and she sent an order to the DME to give me what I want.....C-Flex, A-Flex..she doesn't care...she just wants me to use it.

I told the Doctor and the DME that I would pay the difference knowing that the code is the same but I was trying to let the RT at the DME save face......now I am more concerned with saving my life.

So I told the Doctor that tomorrow I plan to get the Remstar "Loaner" Auto back while I wait for the A-flex to come in next week. She said that if I am happy she is happy.

Do you get the feeling the whole problem is with the profit margin of the DME? The doctor re-wrote the prescription immediately as the machine does no one any good sitting at the DME.

Film at 11

Elliot

[Slinky]

And I say, good for your neurologist sleep doctor and God bless her! Don't let the DME supplier slam you too hard for any extra bucks for that A-Flex autoPAP. Let them know you are aware of the online prices for it. Its too bad you offered to pay them extra. But what is done is done.

[drummergirl410]

SOunds like what they tried to do to me! I'm glad your doc agreed and called for what you needed! I ended up paying out of pocket too but my viwpoint is like yours at this point, I'll spare a little money to spare my life! I found out quick that you have to go in and plsy tough with the DME. After this last go-round about the machine I don't think they want to try to match wits with me again!

[RosemaryB]

Rose,

His doctor wanted to change him from a single pressure of 8 to a single pressure of 10.

Den

RosemaryB doing a Emily Letillia imitation--"Oh! Never mind. . ."
.

[elazarus]

Does anyone know the code that the DME uses for billing the Insurance company?

I want to bring the info to the DME tomorrow and get things corrected.....

Am I correct that if the billing code is the same the only difference is the profit margin because their net is higher with the better machine...right?

Thank you

Elliot

[Guest]

The code is E0601

Yes there is a large profit margin between the 2 machines for the DME. Many DME's pay around the same price from Respironics that you can buy it from CPAP.com.