Prescription Hell

[Popi]

Seriously, why is it so hard to get a copy of my prescription?

After two weeks, two requests sent via fax, and several calls, I'm finally going to have to drive to the hospital/sleep clinic to get it. Not because they told me that I would have to receive it in person, but because I'm simply too tired of the game to continue playing it.

My guess, the clinic is in cahoots with the DME, and they don't want me to look elsewhere for service.

Am I the only one who's gone through this?

[nanwilson]

Oh Yea! Same run around. I finally went to the dme's office to collect it in person and still got the 20 questions, why do you need it? what for? ...etc. I finally told her a little white lie and said what if I move away and need to go to a new supplier, her answer to that was, "well, your prescription is only good for a year anyway" What a load of #$@%^&$#! She finally gave me a copy of the sleep doctors letter that was sent to my family doctor. It at least states that I have sleep apnea and require a cpap, and what they had given me.
Good luck!
Nan

[Uncle_Bob]

yep health care is big business and the patient comes in last.

[Slinky]

They have 30 days to respond to your first request according to HIPAA. FAX them one more time, be sure to reiterate the DATE of your first request and this time DIPLOMATICALLY mention HIPAA. Hopefully you retained copies of your first two FAXes requesting the copy. But even if not be sure to keep a copy of this one. You want to have a paper trail if you have to go thru a HIPAA complaint.

And while you are at it, why request just your script? Why not request the doctor's dictated results AND the full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs from every in-lab study you've had done w/them? That should get the message across that you are considering going elsewhere w/o your actually saying so. No sense in burning any bridges - at least not just yet.

I'm sure suggestions have been posted here at cpaptalk but I'm too lazy to search for them. Advice and directions for obtaining copies of your medical records including scripts, etc. can be found here:

http://www.apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?t=21834

[scbeaver]

Your reply to their question should have been "Federal Law". If they still drag their feet ask them if they they would like to lose their Medicare business for not complying with the Federal Rules, Regulations and Laws. There is nothing better than turning their game around on them.


Sleep Well

Steve

[Popi]

well, your prescription is only good for a year anyway

I've heard the same thing in the past. If true, does that mean that when I want a new machine (from what I've read, TriCare will do this every five years) I will have to get a new prescription?

My office mate's prescription has a notes section that has this little blurb: "Place patient on replacement schedule for 12 months." What happens after the year is up? He's also TriCare.

[Slinky]

Your script is good for life w/online DME providers but almost none of them take insurance so you could count on it for only out of pocket purchases for the most part.

Most local DME providers do require a new script each year. If you need or want a new PAP five years from now you would be due for a new titration and/or sleep study anyway just to be sure your pressure needs, etc. haven't changed.

[Mary Z]

Yeah, Popi, my doctor uses one DME and he exclusively (as far as I know) uses ResMed Devices. Luckily I am happy with all three of them. The doc also has his own sleep lab which he prefers naturally to use exclusively, though my first sleep lab was hospital based and far superior in terms of patient comfort and service, as well as professionalism. I wonder what he would say if I insisted on using the other sleep lab.
At his lab it was small things, a shared BR between two rooms, a fight over a tv remote (I just wanted to turn the tv off)- they didn't have enough remotes to go around, and comments by the staff as they unhooked me that made me wonder if they had hooked me up correcly in the first place, But, digress, no trouble getting a prescription.
I'm sure they're in each others pockets, primarily to the doctors benefit. But it works for me, too, as the DME wants his big business and when he says jump they say how high.
Still, it's certainly your right to have a copy of the prescription and you shouldn't have to say more than that.

[brazospearl]

It always burns my biscuits when medical folks try to keep clients from having the information they are required by law to provide us. You reason for wanting this is not relevant, they have to provide it to you. It would be a shame to have to report them to the medical board/government people/Chamber of Commerce/Better Business Bureau/everybody you can think of. Luckily, my PCP understands this, so he wrote out the cpap Rx "for life," no problem. The opthamologist did the same thing, "You're prescription is pretty unusual. You need to keep a copy of this in case you need it while you're traveling or in an emergency." I didn't even have to ask. Wish I could clone these guys so you could all have service this good!

[KC5cychris]

well, your prescription is only good for a year anyway

I've heard the same thing in the past. If true, does that mean that when I want a new machine (from what I've read, TriCare will do this every five years) I will have to get a new prescription?

My office mate's prescription has a notes section that has this little blurb: "Place patient on replacement schedule for 12 months." What happens after the year is up? He's also TriCare.

Popi
I too use tricare, that is like the warenty stement of replacement, even beyond that they will repair or replace the unit as needed, just have to have the statement of medical necessity redone by the physiscial at the clinic you should be ok.

Chris

[jdm2857]

According to the folks at cpap.com. a prescription for CPAP that does not state an expiration date is valid for a lifetime.

However, to obtain coverage your insurance company may require a new prescription, or a new sleep study, or the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West.

[elena88]

this was my experience..
When I realized I no longer wanted to do business with my dme for various assorted reasons that had me tearing my
hair out on more than one occasion, I started buying little things on cpap.com.. things for which you did not need a prescription.
Then cpap.com sent me a very nice email, telling me if they had my prescription on file, I would not be limited to buying filters, tubes etc and
they would be more than happy to request it from my doctor..
So there is a searching page you can look to see if your doctor is listed.. Mine wasnt, so they have a page you can fill out their information.
Then cpap.com contacts the doctor by fax, and requests your prescription..
By law, it seems they are only able to fax them the request one time before they need YOU to intervene if the doctor does not respond.
I got an email saying mine had not, and I emailed cpap.com back that was no problem, she only is in the office once a week.
A week later, I got an email from cpap.com saying they received my prescription! I was so excited!
Its good for any cpap/apap machine, and all related supplies. I was grateful to have cpap.com make the first move on my behalf.
I had planned to contact my doctor and ask for the prescription, but in the mean time, cpap.com contacted the doctor for me first..
It worked out great.
(My dme is an integral part of the sleep medicine part of the hospital I go to for aftercare. )

[DreamOn]

Once you have your prescription at cpap.com, you can also open/access your account at http://www.cpapauction.com and pull your prescription into their system from cpap.com.

[Stormynights]

I have been trying to get mine since March. I got it yesterday. Actually it was faxed to my sons shop and I will get it when I see him next.

[Jaylee]

According to the folks at cpap.com. a prescription for CPAP that does not state an expiration date is valid for a lifetime.

However, to obtain coverage your insurance company may require a new prescription, or a new sleep study, or the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Sorry you are jumping through hoops, OP!