New and confused. *UPDATED IN NEW THREAD*

[Slinky]

Hang in there, Rockin'Momma. Be DIPLOMATIC, but MOST IMPORTANT, BE FIRM!!! You've got all the advice and information you need in this thread. Use it. YOU are the one paying for this stuff, YOU are the one who has to live w/it for the next minimum of 5 years. REFUSE the Escape. Give it back to them. You can always ask what local DME CPAP suppliers your insurance is contracted in and near the town you will be moving to in Delaware. STICK TO YOUR GUNS!!

[Rockin Mama]

At my appointment tomorrow, i seriously going to use my god given talent to cry on cue, and tell her i don't feel safe with this machine, and see if she will write me a new prescription for the better machine, and that my DME won't cooperate with me in exchanging this machine which, is only under a rental agreement.

I refuse to be walked all over, I am the only person who can stand up for my medical care, and I will do so tomorrow. Screw that DME and the horse she rode in on. I WILL get a better machine. If i have to call my insurance company and complain about these jerk wads.

[cflame1]

You go girl!

[Slinky]

NOW you're ROCKING, Momma!!! Right on! You go, gal!

Hey, all's fair in love and war! If the tears work, GREAT! Always a great asset men don't have the moxie to resort to.

Never mind complaining to your insurance tho. They don't know or care one e0601 from another.

The only thing that bothers me about my tears is that I get mad at myself for showing such "weakness" and the more I cry the madder I get so the madder I get the more I cry and the more I cry the madder I get and pretty soon I'm not rational I'm just plain FURIOUS and I tend to lose any diplomacy or tact I might have had and just plain "let 'er blow"! I KNOW you can catch more flies w/honey than w/vinegar but .... don't do as I do, do as I say.

Go thru this thread and copy and paste EVERY reason for a fully data capable CPAP and have it w/you to practice and memorize.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[Rockin Mama]

ok i think i've decided that tomorrow, regardless of what the DME says, i am going to ask my PA to give me new RX for a data compliance machine, and drop mine off to the one DME, and HOPE that the new one will give it to me without my insurances auth, since I know they will Authorize it anyway.

[cflame1]

Make sure that you get a receipt from your DME... and don't give them your only script. That script doesn't expire if you end up having to use it online!

[Slinky]

Start w/asking about the central apneas and your RDI and the mean desaturation of 79% during the sleep evaluation portion of your split night. Ask what indicated the need for the split-night study (if you were originally scheduled for "just" a sleep evaluation PS).

THEN explain about moving out of town, hubby being deployed to Korea for the next year and get into the NEED for a fully data capable CPAP that will keep you AND your doctor abreast of your efficacy data and help to pinpoint any problems you might incur such as too high a leak rate, etc., etc. and flow into all the reasons we've provided WHY you NEED a fully data capable CPAP instead of one ONLY ABLE to provide COMPLIANCE data which is of NO USE to you and your therapy needs.

Also request the information we suggested you need: the doctor's dictated results, the full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs and your PRESCRIPTION order since you will be leaving the area so soon before you can be sure of getting acclimated to CPAP, mask and your therapy needs resolved. You WANT this CPAP therapy to WORK for you and are DETERMINED to make it successful!!!

Good luck! (((hugs)))

[Georgio]

For what it's worth, I started with the "Escape" just like you and ended up here too. I always say the "Escape" is named that, because it's the DME's "Escape" machine to max. their profit. You're on your way....and you will be checking your data and reporting on it for more input in no time! Good going!

Georgio

[Slinky]

ok i think i've decided that tomorrow, regardless of what the DME says, i am going to ask my PA to give me new RX for a data compliance machine, and drop mine off to the one DME, and HOPE that the new one will give it to me without my insurances auth, since I know they will Authorize it anyway.

Ahhh! GOOD! You DO have the option of another DME supplier!! Don't be bashful about letting the second DME supplier know you weren't satisfied w/the compliance data only CPAP the first DME supplier was trying to foist off on you. And don't be bashful about letting the first DME supplier know that you have the option of and are taking advantage of your option to go elsewhere to a supplier who WILL provide a fully data capable CPAP. And it won't hurt to let both know you are considering just waiting until you move out of state and getting your equipment there. Hey! A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush. Here's the chance to get full payment for equipment and services and NOT have to put up w/providing service, support, etc. beyond just a month or two.

[jnk]

. . . and the horse she rode in on . . .

Treat the DME however you like. But let's be nice to the horse, OK?

[SharkBait]

Lots of good points in here. I think one of the strongest is your wanting to know if the therapy is working. Your apnea at it's current level if untreated is dangerous. You need to see if your leak rate is under control. And you need to see that your apneas are down under 5, under 4, under 2, under 1... What you don't need to see is your hours of use. You already know that...

[SharkBait]

I might have missed it, but does your current CPAP have EPR? 16 cmH2O is pretty tough to breathe against. If it does not have EPR, then use that as yet another reason you need a new machine. And while you're getting a new machine anyway, it might as well be data compliant...

AND if you're having some difficulty with 16 (or even if you aren't), propose to your doctor to let you have an Auto machine (APAP) so you can begin your session at a range that maxes out at 16. He might say something about the ramp feature, but tell him that you'd really like to make sure that 16 is REALLY what you need and that once you (and your doctor) are absolutely sure that 16 is your ideal pressure, then you'll run it in CPAP.

Auto machines have everything you'll want/need...

[LoQ]

I think one of the strongest is your wanting to know if the therapy is working.

I disagree. That will not carry any weight with the DME.

I think it is a mistake to surrender authority over your therapy, RM, by allowing them to think that you must convince them to give you the machine you want.

I gave the girl all the info on how i need to keep my data

Why would you do that? That tenders veto power to her. You don't want that.

I think your better tactic is to either get the prescription written as Slinky suggested, then take a COPY ONLY of it into the DME and insist that the dispense as written. If they balk, do not stray into arguments about how you want to track your own therapy--they don't think you ought to be doing that in the first place, so you are just giving them reason to refuse to give you what you want.

Do not use any argument other than "this is the machine my doctor has prescribed." Some questions you might use:

"Are you telling me that you are refusing to fill the prescription as ordered by my doctor? Do you have authority to override her judgment?"

"Are you going to fill my prescription as written or not?"

"What machine does my prescription, as written by my doctor, call for?"

"Which machines do you have that match this prescription? Does that one record efficacy data?"


Each time they give you the runaround, ask a question like the ones above. DO NOT ANSWER their questions about why you need a certain machine.

THEM: "Why do you need a machine that if fully data capable?"
YOU: "Are you going to give me a machine that is consistent with my prescription or not?"
THEM: "It depends. I need to know first why you need that machine."
YOU: "Are you suggesting that whether or not you give me the machine my doctor has prescribed depends upon my answer to your question?"

Answer every question with a question. If you are psychologically incapable of doing that (and I was when I was younger), then the only acceptable answer is something along the lines of "Because that's the machine my doctor has specified."

What I would do, actually, is fax the prescription to them first. Then I would call and ask them if they have a machine matching the prescription ready for you to pick up, and if so, you'll bring yours in for the exchange. If they say yes, ask what make and model it is. Then post it here and let people tell you whether that's one of the ones you want. If it's not, call them back and tell them it doesn't match the prescription--we'll tell you why if you give us the details of the prescription.


If you can't get the prescription, then it will be tougher, but I would tell them you don't want the current machine, you want to exchange it for a <S8 auto> or whatever the name of the one you want is. They will decline. You ask them why they are refusing to exchange machines for the one you want. Point out that the one you want matches your prescription. "The ..... machine matches my prescription, and it's the one I want. Do you have one of those? If not, what machines do you have that are fully data capable?" I'd do it over the phone until you get agreement.

As people said, be firm but diplomatic. NEVER EVER be drawn into a discussion of whether you NEED that machine. If they say, "You don't need a .... machine, the Escape will do fine" then I would say, "No, that is not the machine I want. I want the .... machine, which my prescription allows. Will you give me that one or not?" You will NEVER convince them that you need a fully data capable machine, so don't try.

Don't forget, you can do this in multiple conversations, especially if you are exceedingly polite. If you start to feel frustrated, tell them you need to go but will call them back. Take some time to get your mind straight and calm, and then call again.

Good luck, and don't get discouraged.

[Rockin Mama]

. . . and the horse she rode in on . . .

Treat the DME however you like. But let's be nice to the horse, OK?

THe horse has my respect, he's just crating the a jerk I'll give it a carrot and tell it to leave said DME where its at and never help it again!

and it does have epr

[jules]

hmm - 16 --------- well isn't it Bilevel machine time?