HELP-SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER

[nocreek1]

I have just gotten off the phone with my supplier and have questions to ask the forumn.
Does Medicare require a prescription from the doctor every time one gets a filter, headgear, tubing, cushion etc? I can not believe that this is required. They have the orginal prescription and should expect supplies added as needed.
Another question - I was told that not all tubing fits every machine. Is this correct? I also find this hard to believe, but with the cpap business nothing would surprise me. The tubing question is due to the fact that the company no longer makes the tubing that came with the machine (per supplier). The new tubing is about as flexible as a frozen garden hose.
Thanks


My equipment is as follows-
Resmed
S8 Escape
Hunidaire 3i
Quattro ff mask

[boston]

im not familiar with your exact machine, but i do know there are a few that take a different hose, but most take the same.
i believe you dont even need a prescription for the filters and such, just for the machine itself, and some will insist on one for the mask.
sounds like you got either someone new, having a bad day, or just plain trying to screw you over.

[nocreek1]

I believe the very last of your email is correct. When I told her that I did not believe the info on the hose and the need for a prescription she got huffy.
Tomorrow I begin my search for a new supplier in the Paoli, PA area.
Thank you for your reply

[elader]

I have just gotten off the phone with my supplier and have questions to ask the forumn.
Does Medicare require a prescription from the doctor every time one gets a filter, headgear, tubing, cushion etc? I can not believe that this is required. They have the orginal prescription and should expect supplies added as needed.

Ha Ha sure.... not. In fact, the filters and hoses and humidifiers do not require a prescription at all.

[6PtStar]

I have just gotten off the phone with my supplier and have questions to ask the forumn.
Does Medicare require a prescription from the doctor every time one gets a filter, headgear, tubing, cushion etc? I can not believe that this is required. They have the orginal prescription and should expect supplies added as needed.
Another question - I was told that not all tubing fits every machine. Is this correct? I also find this hard to believe, but with the cpap business nothing would surprise me. The tubing question is due to the fact that the company no longer makes the tubing that came with the machine (per supplier). The new tubing is about as flexible as a frozen garden hose.
Thanks


My equipment is as follows-
Resmed
S8 Escape
Hunidaire 3i
Quattro ff mask

I am on Medicare as my primary insurance. I have only had to have a perscription & copy of my Sleep Study when I first started buying from them and have gotten supplies numerious times. I suspect that they will require a new perscription is I have to get a new cpap but I am not positive on that. I did have one DME that tried to say I had to get a new perscription any time I got a new mask but still did not require it for supplies (hoses, filters, water chamber, etc). I fired them because of this hassle and a few other things.

Hope this helps and yes they will lie to you some even with a straight face.

Jerry

[BeanMeScot]

How would it benefit them to insist you get a new prescription? Seems like it would make it LESS likely you would buy stuff from them. Not more.

[N6CRV]

Here is a link that will tell you what Medicare will cover and how often.
http://www.billmyinsurance.com/cpap-faq ... tml#FGID-1

Don

[boston]

How would it benefit them to insist you get a new prescription? Seems like it would make it LESS likely you would buy stuff from them. Not more.

dr. bob refers all his patients to xyz DME, so xyz DME insists they all need a new presciption from dr. bob for supplies. They both get to screw you.
and they are hoping that a new patient just starting out is still so sleep deprived that they dont realize how badly they are gtting screwed.

[DoriC]

Our DME tried that on us when we stopped in for some disposable filters, said we needed an RX. I asked her to show me that Medicare regulation, she went in the back and brought out a baggie filled with the disposable and 2 of the foam ones. They really do try to make our lives miserable but I think we came to a meeting of the minds once we started to question everything they said. We're due for a new mask in June, really just need the cushion, so we'll see what drama that presents.

[cpapqueen1]

The length of time that you need an rx for depends on how the length of time was specified on the cmn. If the DME was smart, they would enter the CMN for 99months (lifetime) and make it easier on both the pt and the DME. There are some docs out theere that will only sign a CMN for a specific period because they want to see the pt.

[ozij]

Well, there are companies that make machines which need special hoses.
Puritan Bennett, whose autos (420E) BiPaps (425) need a hose with a sensor tube, as do some of their fixed pressure recording machines (420S).
That line is now being replaced by the Sandman series, which uses a standard hose.
The reason I'm adding this info is that we had a user here whose DME did not know that, gave him a normal hose, and the user grew ill because his PB 420E machine was not supplying any pressure.

Fisher & Pyakel also make special heated hoses to use with some of their machines - but those can only be used with the specific F&P machines.

The ResMed ASV also uses a sensor tube.

Hoses for other machines are standard shaped, and interchangeable - I've read good reviews of Respironic's' "Performance Tubing" which is supposed to be more flexible than others.
Take a look at various types of hoses (tubing) here: https://www.cpap.com/simple-find-cpap-p ... mance.html -- there are links to other types in the "categories" line.

[nocreek1]

Many thanks to all of you. I really do not know what I would do without this group.
I will catch up with my sleep doctor and see what the prescription says and go from there.
I do know that just after I got my machine the sleep doctor told me they were no longer having my supplier listed as a suggestion for getting equip. This was due to there service. At this point I had already gotten the machine and started on using it. Did not want to start over, but looks like I should have.sigh
Again so many thanks to all.
Will keep you up to date, but than again this is just another story of many stories with the lack of help given us.

[DoriC]

My husband uses the Respironics Performance Tubing bought on cpap.com. It makes a world of difference in keeping his mask in place when turning from side to side. Much lighter and more flexible.