Apria -vs- Walgreens

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:52 pm

Hello All,
Have not been on the forums for awhile. Hope all is well with everyone.

Yesterday my wife called her DME to order a replacement mask and was told that they are no longer an approved vendor for our insurance company. Today I called our insurance, which is United Healthcare, and was told that I had 2 National Companies that I could choose from. Apria Healthcare and Walgreens Home Care.

I have never dealt with either of these companies. So I wanted to come here and get some feedback. Which is better and why? Any particular reason to avoid one of them over the other?

Apria has a couple of locations within a 20 mile radius where as Walgreens does not. But I have always ordered and had my masks delivered so that is really not a concern.

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Patrick

sleeplessinaz · Post by **sleeplessinaz** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:01 pm

Hi There---I use Apria and have really liked them. I have CIGNA insurance. They cover everything at 100%. I have never had a problem with Apria--once you get all set up with them --all I needed to do was call in to say what it was that I needed and they mailed it out to me right away---

Don't know anything about a Walgreens Home Health store--
Carrie

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:08 pm

Patrick,

Have you met your insurance deductible for the year? If you haven't, I would think that you'd be paying the full, inflated price for the mask.

Have you checked out either of these two links for replacement masks (or parts)? CPAP.COM is the host of this forum and also hosts the cpapauction site, too.

https://www.cpap.com/

http://www.cpapauction.com/

Den

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:28 pm

Yes, I have met my deductible for the year. And yes, I have ordered masks from CPAP.Com before.

I have found that their prices have more than doubled since the first time I ordered one from them in December. I use the ComfortGel Nasal Mask. The first time I purchased one it was about $55. Second time it was up to $65. Now it is $124. I do remember reading on here that the manufacturers were trying to force the online companies to raise prices due to complaints from brick and mortar DME's.

I will still buy one from CPAP.Com occasionally when a mask breaks and the 6 month insurance window has not elapsed. But at that price I am going to try to get it from the Insurance company as much as possible.

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:29 pm

Anyone use Walgreens for their CPAP Equipment?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:00 pm

Reidan wrote:Yes, I have met my deductible for the year. And yes, I have ordered masks from CPAP.Com before.

I have found that their prices have more than doubled since the first time I ordered one from them in December. I use the ComfortGel Nasal Mask. The first time I purchased one it was about $55. Second time it was up to $65. Now it is $124. I do remember reading on here that the manufacturers were trying to force the online companies to raise prices due to complaints from brick and mortar DME's.

I will still buy one from CPAP.Com occasionally when a mask breaks and the 6 month insurance window has not elapsed. But at that price I am going to try to get it from the Insurance company as much as possible.

That's the "advertised" price. You might contact them and see if that's the "REAL" price. Some of the products have a thing to click on to get their price.

I don't know......that's not my mask and I won't be buying any for a long time to come (stocked up).

Den

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:05 pm

I added it to the cart and the price did not change. Do not see a link for a different price.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:57 pm

Reidan, you have to call cpap.com to get their "unadvertised sale" price. They can NOT list that price anywhere on their website, including the shopping cart.

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 4:07 pm

So, this is news to me but Optioncare, Inc. merged with Walgreens. The company is now Walgreens Home Care.

Anyone with experience on Optioncare?

http://www.walgreenshealth.com/whc/pati ... m/ecommhc/

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:19 pm

Slinky wrote:Reidan, you have to call cpap.com to get their "unadvertised sale" price. They can NOT list that price anywhere on their website, including the shopping cart.

Ahh, that makes sense then. I will give them a call to get the price.

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:20 pm

SleepGuy wrote:So, this is news to me but Optioncare, Inc. merged with Walgreens. The company is now Walgreens Home Care.

Anyone with experience on Optioncare?

I did see that announcement on their website earlier today. Did not even think to ask for feedback on Optioncare. Thanks.

azaloune · Post by **azaloune** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:42 pm

I had a horrible experience with Apria. That included a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

My husband uses Walgreens Home Care. We love them!

Reidan · Post by **Reidan** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:01 pm

azaloune wrote:I had a horrible experience with Apria. That included a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

My husband uses Walgreens Home Care. We love them!

Would you share your experience? Was it a one time thing, or something that kept happening over and over?

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:24 am

My insurance uses Apria and only Apria. I've been on xpap for 2 years now. Apria has yet to get an order right. They send the wrong mask, wrong filters, wrong nasal cushions, even a wrong HH tank. Every order is an ordeal. It can take me 3 months to get a correct part. Of course the replacement hose (that I don't need or use) gets here on time! It took many phone calls to get them to stop sending the hoses. They did start up a new division just for ordering supplies, but it still took me 3 tries to get a correct nasal pillow from them.
I would give Walgreens a shot. It can't be any worse than Apria has been!

Brenda

DreamDiver · Post by **DreamDiver** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:28 am

Reidan wrote:Anyone use Walgreens for their CPAP Equipment?

Reidan,

I've got United Health Care. I've just ceased using Apria. We have different ideas as to what constitutes customer satisfaction.

I called UHC to ask what other national DME's are available. I got a number for Walgreens. They said they were the compounding pharmacy, not Option Care. When I tried calling the number for Option Care given to me by the compounding pharmacy, I got another desk at the compounding pharmacy. Finally, they found the right phone number, and the folks at Option Care said they didn't have an agreement with United Health Care and that they could not help me.

Go figure. I haven't bought a new mask in a while, and I'm due one through UHC, but since I haven't hit my deductible, I'll probably end up paying for it anyway.

I don't plan to go back to Apria. I wish I could tell you more about Walgreens. Maybe they were still in transition when I called. I'll try contacting them through the website.

@SleepGuy, Thanks for the web link.

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: new Airsense auto set 12/08/14. Cpap pressure is

Apria -vs- Walgreens

Apria -vs- Walgreens

Apria vs. Walgreens