Letter from my DME

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 6:45 pm

I just got this with my smart card today. There's a specific spot that's been highlighted BY HAND and just for me. Also, I'm sick of protecting them and will start calling them by name.

Providence Home Services wrote:It is time to replace the smart card in your CPAP/BIPAP unit, and retake the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Please send in the old smart card along with your completed Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

In order for your insurance to pay for your CPAP/BIPAP equipment, it is very important that you return all requested data as soon as possible.

It is also important that you do not allow anyone other than Providence Home Services to download the compliance data from your smart card. Once the data is downloaded from the smart card, it is automatically erased. Therefore, we will not be able to show your insurance company that you have met the required compliance criteria for them to pay for your equipment.

The part in bold/italics is the part that was highlighted especially for me. I'm so glad they know how to LISTEN and that they LEARNED SO MUCH from when I showed them that I wasn't deleting the data. *sigh*

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:38 pm

I think that some DMEs simply don't understand how not to erase data from the card. When mine asked me to send them the card, I told them I'd be happy to drop by so they could download the data and I could just take the card home with me. When I handed her the card, I asked her not to erase the data on the card. "Oh no," she replied, "we never erase anything."

So what was blank when I got it home? Uh huh.

OCO

Rabid1 · Post by **Rabid1** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm

So much for the INFORMED patient

Sleepless in St. Louis · Post by **Sleepless in St. Louis** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:53 pm

In this particular case, I'm not sure what the problem is? I think it's really true that they need the compliance data on the card to show the insurance company. If the patient is not compliant then why would the insurance company keep paying for the machine etc. Unless, I'm missing something, I don't see that the dme is asking for anything unusual or wrong. I'm not one to usually defent the dme, so I'm just asking what's your beef with them? What am I missing. I'm sure it's a standard form letter and nothing personal against you. They probably get cases of people deleting the data that they need for their precious paperwork.

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Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:03 pm

blarg,

Just send them the printouts from your software. Better yet, e-mail it to them if they have an e-mail address.
I would absolutely NOT hand the card to them. (if it were me)

Den

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 8:57 pm

If the data is being saved to the database on his PC ... does it matter if they erase the card?

I have got myself two cards just in case I get a phone call out of the blue saying they need me to send in my card for insurance or what ever ... but I'm pretty sure I'll never hear from them again since everything is all paid for now. Also, you never know when a card will fail or get corrupted.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:25 pm

DreamStalker wrote:If the data is being saved to the database on his PC ... does it matter if they erase the card?

I have got myself two cards just in case I get a phone call out of the blue saying they need me to send in my card for insurance or what ever ... but I'm pretty sure I'll never hear from them again since everything is all paid for now. Also, you never know when a card will fail or get corrupted.

I guess that depends on the person. The card keeps about 7 days in the daily reports and somewhere in the vacinity of 9 or 10 months worth of compliance data, but it also keeps all of the data in the Long Term Trend Report. Once you erase the card or switch cards, the ability of going backwards from that point in Encore Pro is broken. You can only go forwards from that point.
If you're using MyEncore or James Skinner's program "EPA", it's somewhat irrelevant, because you can go back to the beginning..
I just think it's nonsense to give the card to the DME when you can give him what he's thinks he's going to download anyway. It's YOUR card.....you're paying for it. They're just going to erase it because many of them are too stupid to know how NOT to erase it.

Den

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:09 am

OwlCreekObserver wrote:I think that some DMEs simply don't understand how not to erase data from the card.

Except that I SPECIFICALLY showed an RT how when she freaked out because I brought Encore reports in. And she's the only one that would have flagged me as a dirty data downloader.

Lots of you probably missed this post.

And there's no specific problem other than that they're entirely unwilling to listen to me (a PROGRAMMER) about a computer issue.

I would have entirely ignored the letter if that specific part hadn't been highlighted by someone just for me.

And Wulfman, I'm only giving them the card when they give me one to swap with. I do a download before I send the old one in. So my trend data's screwy. Oh well.

air · Post by **air** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:11 am

I only have 1 card, so i dont "yet" risk too much with "playing" with it.
so i have some questions:

Wulfman wrote:... Once you erase the card or switch cards, the ability of going backwards from that point in Encore Pro is broken. You can only go forwards from that point.

What do you mean? we can still download data into the same patient with another card, cant we? , so what doesnt work after a new download?

... They're just going to erase it because many of them are too stupid to know how NOT to erase it.

I guess you mean erase the data. I was using encore pro at the default setting of erasing after each download at first, and now im choosing "Erase" when i download anyway since i understand the data will be overwritten after some days anyway. So what is the problem caused if they do a default dload which erases data?

I havent used the "erase card" function, just the "erase data" after downloading.

I guess its time we find out the exact workings of this system.
I mean card format, data format and the rest, or we know already and i havent yet read about it? (bit new to the forum and still reading old posts), so sorry if im missing something obvious..
Thank you all!
- Chris

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:15 am

air wrote:What do you mean? we can still download data into the same patient with another card, cant we? , so what doesnt work after a new download?

He's just saying that if you didn't download the data before you ship the card off, you'll never get it, and that the trends are only based on the specific report range. So, if you used a new card, your trends wouldn't show up on the reports you did because you have to click on the download to generate a report.

Encore Pro Analyzer doesn't care though.

air wrote:So what is the problem caused if they do a default dload which erases data?

The only problem is if you need to prove compliance to your DME/Insurance. If you delete the data off the card, then they can't run their own compliance reports because the data is gone.

air wrote:or we know already and i havent yet read about it?

A lot is known about the database, almost nothing is known about the cards and their specific format.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:24 am

Sleepless in St. Louis wrote:I'm just asking what's your beef with them?

Lots of you probably missed this post.

My beef is that I tried to be helpful, and now have been specifically flagged as a troublemaker, all because I downloaded the data and did nothing to interfere with them.

Oh yeah, and I had to call to specifically ask for this smart card because I was concerned about proving compliance, so if it's that important, why aren't they sending them to me automatically?

alpha1340 · Post by **alpha1340** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:30 am

Question?

My machine doesn't have a card so how can dme/insurance tell if I am compliant with the machine?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:52 am

I can't believe you had have such crazy interactions with DME (remember I'm new)! Thanks to you I know to act stupid as much as possible while still getting what I want from DME.

You are always such a helper (not troublemaker)

penelopepanda · Post by **penelopepanda** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:55 am

Sorry! The "Guest" above is me. Didn't realize I wasn't logged in.

Sleepless in St. Louis · Post by **Sleepless in St. Louis** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:29 am

Now I see. Your permanent record now has a black mark on it. I'm sure you are now on double secret probation with your DME. You are filed under "T" for troublemaker so they'll be keeping a close eye on you.

Again, I can't believe I'm playing devil's advocate for the DME but they are propably not used to dealing with people who have any technical savvy at all, nor do they appreciate people mucking with the equipment when chances are good that most will do something wrong and erase data creating a paperwork nightmare for them trying to get reimbursed by the insurance company. If they don't get paid they cut the patient off and then where are we? Everybody is pissed.

Again, I just think you may be taking this too personally. They don't know that you probably know more than them. Vent to us by all means but have patience with the poor picked on DMEs who are after all, the undisputed experts in this field.

Machine	Mask

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