Problems with Apria?

[rhodesengr]

Anybody else have problems with Apria? I had a bad experience with them 10 years ago with my first CPAP. Now I am with Kaiser and my heart sank a little when they told me they use Apria. So guess what. I am having problems again. I have been expecting two items: a new mask and a heated hose conversion kit. Yesterday a package arrive and contained neither of the expected item. They sent a simple spare hose. Also, they had transposed numbers in my address. Luckily (under the circumstances) there is an Apria office right near where i work. So I brought back the plain hose they sent me in error and spent 40 minutes there while they supposedly sorted out their mess. At first they told me Kaiser had ordered me a new machine. I just picked up my 560 two weeks ago and they had no record of that. Eventually the lady found the record for the machine I just received and found the request from Kaiser for the new mack and heated tube kit. But what a mess.

[Cardsfan]

I couldn't get Apria to even return my phone calls to schedule an appt. I went with Lincare.

[Sheriff Buford]

Crapria is probably the one company why this forum hates DME's. You wouldn't believe the nonsense they have put us thru. The worst I've been thru is when they called and told me to pick up my machine...only to tell me that it wasn't their after I arrived at their facility. Whatever you do... do not give them your credit card number. They always ask me. Then I just laugh and laugh
Best of luck with them.

Sheriff

[jonny515]

The RT at the sleep center is sending me to a DME that gets 1.5 stars on Google. When I commented on that the RT said, "I'm taking care of you. Apria is MUCH worse." Wow. (That seems correct--- no one seems to rate them higher than 1 star with various comments like "worst possible customer service" and "shtty".

[rhodesengr]

well it seems I am not alone in my personal assessment. I don't think I have a choice if I want to get my stuff through Kaiser as they told me they use Apria. Although it might be worth calling kaiser and asking if I have a choice. The advantage is that I have 100% coverage through Kaiser. I guess if i just bought stuff outright on the internet, I mostly would not have to deal with Apria.

[Janknitz]

Nope, you don't have a choice if you want Kaiser to pay. Crapria is all there is.

As bad as Crapria is, it's worse with Kaiser, because Kaiser is actually your DME, Crapria is merely the supplier. And yes, they get (in my experience) 100% of the orders and billing wrong.

Watch them carefully, because they try to substitute cheaper for what Kaiser specifically orders--e.g. the regular hose instead of a heated hose. But they bill for what Kaiser ordered--I bet they get away with it a lot since some people don't know the difference. And they are supplying generic after market things like filters and water chambers.

Kaiser uses ONLY PR machines (in my region, at least) and they have a formulary for masks, If your mask isn't on their formulary, too bad. Your RX with Kaiser has to specify the exact mask, if you want to change masks they have to change your RX.

[chunkyfrog]

Kaiser has dismal reviews, too.

[rhodesengr]

Kaiser has dismal reviews, too.

All of kaiser or the sleep medicine part, or ?

I have various plans available at work and switched from Anthem BC to kaiser two years ago because the Anthem plan got real expensive. I have actually been pretty happy with Kaiser for general health stuff and they did get me back on the CPAP which i have probably needed for a long time. I had some surgeries under Anthem (orthopedic sports type) and i was able to choose leading local surgeons with great reviews. I do worry a little what would happen if I needed surgery under Kaiser. Curious what the bad reviews here are.

[chunkyfrog]

Google Kaiser reviews; and get ready for a lot of reading.

[Janknitz]

For all the issues I brought up above, Kaiser for sleep apnea hasn't been too bad. They have sleep techs who work with people to find the right masks, and they have SAMPLES you can take home to try in real sleeping conditions. If you are having a problem you can get in fairly quickly to see the sleep techs and get some help. And they really are committed to diagnosing and treating OSA optimally (they actually look at your EFFICACY data) because in the long run it saves Kaiser money.

I hated their group everything for being fitted with a home testing device and then getting the results and fitted for a mask. That was miserable. And I've never seen the pulmonologist who is the "sleep doctor". But the program has some pluses as well. I much preferred home testing to what I hear about sleep lab testing. I would never have gone through an in lab test to be diagnosed and treated.

I will say that quality may differ depending on where you get your services. I've talked to other people in the same Northern California region who did not get as good sleep tech help at other Kaiser Medical Centers. But, if you are willing to travel, you always have the option of going to another medical center within the Kaiser region. There's some good staff at my local one.

[rhodesengr]

just keeps getting better....not.....

so I get home and there is another box from Apria and I am thinking "oh my new P10 came today" even though Apria told me this morning it had not shipped yet. Nope it was another plain air hose that I don't need and didn't order. The exact same thing that arrived yesterday. So now, Apria has sent me two hoses that I don't need and didn't order.

Re the Kaiser experience, I had to do the group deal when they gave me the take home sleep tester. It was a little weird but not that bad. I thought I was going to have a group class for the CPAP 7 day trial but when they called me in, I was the only one. I asked about it and the tech told me that my Dr. had requested that I have a 1 on 1. So it seems possible. Maybe you just have to ask for it.

I have no idea how other plans work these days but 10 years ago I did do the full sleep study thing and it was a hassle. Maybe everyone does the take home thing now but it was much better except for having to drive back the next morning to return it. Its about 30 miles from my house.

I also thought the 7-day trial was a good idea where they look at the data and decide what to do next. That didn't happen 10 years ago with Anthem BC.

I get how Kaiser works vs PPO providers under Anthem. Kaiser tires to do thing as inexpensively as possible. PPO providers try to get approval for the most expensive thing they can get approved. So if they can get approval for a full-on sleep study then they make more money that way.