Apria refuses to honor lifetime prescription

[daytona]

I recently changed health insurance and now have UHC (not medicare) for insurance and they told me to use Apria to get my supplies. I already have a machine and just need new supplies.

When I faxed my lifetime prescription and a copy of the original sleep study (from 2014) to Apria, they refused to honor it. They said that it has to be less than 1 year old. My sleep doctor was awful, it took reading them the riot act to get a copy of my prescription and sleep report. Can they really refuse to honor a valid prescription? I think I'd have to find a new doctor and start all over if I needed to get another prescription...

Any tips for dealing with this? Other than buying directly, I've been doing that and it's more expensive than my copay/deductible.

[Okie bipap]

If you have a family doctor or dentist, they can write the prescription for supplies.

[daytona]

Oh! Good to know. Thanks I've called my regular doctor and left a message asking for a prescription.

[klm49]

I recently changed health insurance and now have UHC (not medicare) for insurance and they told me to use Apria to get my supplies. I already have a machine and just need new supplies.

When I faxed my lifetime prescription and a copy of the original sleep study (from 2014) to Apria, they refused to honor it. They said that it has to be less than 1 year old. My sleep doctor was awful, it took reading them the riot act to get a copy of my prescription and sleep report. Can they really refuse to honor a valid prescription? I think I'd have to find a new doctor and start all over if I needed to get another prescription...

Any tips for dealing with this? Other than buying directly, I've been doing that and it's more expensive than my copay/deductible.

I had a similar occurrence, but mine was after my first year with APAP and my current DME. I called to get supplies and the DME said they needed a new prescription. I told them I thought prescript. was good forever, they said there policy is a new one every year. I think it is just to cover their butts with medicare. I guess it is best to ask up front! I was talking to a friend and she said she had been on CPAP for 8 years and has never had to go back to Dr. or get a new prescrip.

[Lucyhere]

I guess it is best to ask up front! I was talking to a friend and she said she had been on CPAP for 8 years and has never had to go back to Dr. or get a new prescrip.

I never have either. I haven't seen my doctor in almost two years and when I called the DME to order supplies, I had zero problems.
.

[chunkyfrog]

Is Crapria the only provider in network?
If not, check into going elsewhere.
Edit: oh, never mind. UHC are even bigger d-bags than Apria.
My sincerest regrets.

[parzad]

Is Crapria the only provider in network?
If not, check into going elsewhere.
Edit: oh, never mind. UHC are even bigger d-bags than Apria.
My sincerest regrets.

Yes and most suppliers do NOT like to deal w/UHC and I think that drives Apria off the end.

To Op: I think that DME's have to be licensed with the Health Dept. after you get your supplies you can file a complaint with them and the Insurance Dept in your state to find out for sure how this script should work. I think that cpap com will honor it.
Also in many states now you can check licensing online for things like this.

[Cardsfan]

I have UHC in Illinois, and Lincare is in my network. You may want to check who else is in network for a DME

[SewTired]

I contacted my primary and he was happy to fill out a prescription for supplies. He just won't prescribe a machine. So, I'd give that a shot.

Second, are lifetime prescriptions still valid as an option in Illinois? If so, then I would contact the regional office for Apria and report to them that your prescription was denied because of some random policy and that this is unacceptable. I would be a squeaky wheel and as annoying as all get out.

[Cardsfan]

Sewtired- I'm in Illnois, My prescription was written for 99 months. Still using it for 2 1/2 yrs so far. No problems getting the DME to fill it.

[chunkyfrog]

Before I had a backup, my doctor was happy to write a prescription for the backup, which I purchased out of pocket.