DME: I'm paying the ROBBERS!!!! Update!!!!

[elg5cats]

The DME I purchased (I mean am being robbed by) my ResMed AutoSet II from is robbing me and earns co-ownership of worse service award. Initially the DME billed my insurance for 11 separate months all at once with dates before I even had my sleep study and diagnosis. Then they somewhat erratically billed me. I kept watch of claims and payments through my insurance on-line and paid accordingly. I have paid in full my portion and continue to be billed for more ( I know that is a surprise for most of you) I spent 2 hours on the phone Friday explaining simple math...my charge, my payment, my owe no more..........only to be told, my computer says you owe, you owe you owe and if you don't pay we are turning you into collections in 10 days..........I GOT NOWHERE!!! even with the "manager." Urg....so tonight I prepared a note.....and am trying to decided how I might relieve myself out this financial hostage situation.

Dear Jack,
Enclosed is a Blue Cross Blue Shield itemized statement specifying my assigned copayment for medical equipment acquired
via DME. Additionally, I have provided the date, check number and amount of all payments made. Although, I no longer
have an outstanding balance, I have enclosed the current billed amount of $28.24 due to the threat of collections. Please correct my
account and refund the outstanding overpayment. Please reframe from additionally billing me for equipment paid in full. Otherwise, it will be necessary to return the equipment to your Home Health Care Center for full reimbursement.

Within the next month, you will be receiving a bill from me for accounting services I have provided to you billing office. Currently,
my professional fees are $500 per hour, with additional charges for research, printing, and consultation. I presume by the time of
resolution, you can expect your bill to accumulate in excess of $1,000. My apologizes in advance for your accumulating bill, but I
can no longer provide pro bono services to you. Please correct my account quickly, reimburse me for my overpayment to prevent
further accumulation of fees for my consultation services. I look forward to collections.

Sincerely,
elg5cats

[Muse-Inc]

Love it!!! What a bunch of jerks!

[jules]

refrain not reframe or they might want to bill you for a spell checker and time spent sorting out what you wrote

there might be more typos of course so triple check it

is this the only machine you got from them? or did they pawn off a straight cpap on you first?

[Patrick A]

The DME I purchased (I mean am being robbed by) my ResMed AutoSet II from is robbing me and earns co-ownership of worse service award. Initially the DME billed my insurance for 11 separate months all at once with dates before I even had my sleep study and diagnosis. Then they somewhat erratically billed me. I kept watch of claims and payments through my insurance on-line and paid accordingly. I have paid in full my portion and continue to be billed for more ( I know that is a surprise for most of you) I spent 2 hours on the phone Friday explaining simple math...my charge, my payment, my owe no more..........only to be told, my computer says you owe, you owe you owe and if you don't pay we are turning you into collections in 10 days..........I GOT NOWHERE!!! even with the "manager." Urg....so tonight I prepared a note.....and am trying to decided how I might relieve myself out this financial hostage situation.

Dear Jack,
Enclosed is a Blue Cross Blue Shield itemized statement specifying my assigned copayment for medical equipment acquired
via DME. Additionally, I have provided the date, check number and amount of all payments made. Although, I no longer
have an outstanding balance, I have enclosed the current billed amount of $28.24 due to the threat of collections. Please correct my
account and refund the outstanding overpayment. Please reframe from additionally billing me for equipment paid in full. Otherwise, it will be necessary to return the equipment to your Home Health Care Center for full reimbursement.

Within the next month, you will be receiving a bill from me for accounting services I have provided to you billing office. Currently,
my professional fees are $500 per hour, with additional charges for research, printing, and consultation. I presume by the time of
resolution, you can expect your bill to accumulate in excess of $1,000. My apologizes in advance for your accumulating bill, but I
can no longer provide pro bono services to you. Please correct my account quickly, reimburse me for my overpayment to prevent
further accumulation of fees for my consultation services. I look forward to collections.

Sincerely,
elg5cats

APRIA RIPOFF STRICKS AGAIN

[Gerryk]

You mentioned you have bcbs. I would call your insurance and forward copies of all the bills you got from teh dme. What they have done is a violation of the contract they have with bcbs. Although we think og bcbs and other insurance companies and being cold hearted and not interested, they do pursue insurance and sometimes billing fraud.

Try calling your insurance company.

Best of luck.

Gerry

[sronsen]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Given my insurance company and its dismal preferred DME's, it costs me far less to buy my equipment on-line, out of pocket than to play their games. How can a top-of-the-line machine be purchased on line for $540 yet sold to an insurance company for more than $2,000? The patient's deductible is more than the on-line cost! Oh, you don't get a top of the line machine unless you scream, do you, but someone still pays the same amount of money!

As far as service, the DME gave me the cheapest machine available. Yes, they got me a usable mask in two tries, but is that worth $1,500 of anyone's money? That was almost 10 years ago and I have not needed nor gotten any service since. It's all a rip-off as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for on-line DMEs, particularly those who don't require prescriptions when they're not needed by law (as for masks - hint to cpap.com).

Yes elg5cats, you're paying the robbers.

[potholerepairman]

It does strike me as odd that an insurance giant can get a hospital, doctor and anesthesiologist to work for peasent pay while they pay pretty well for cpap supplies.Every time looking up what a surgery cost I am so glad the insurance company is on my side fighting for the lowest cost.When it comes to cpap supplies some times Conspiracy Theories enter my head.

[secret agent girl]

.

[elg5cats]

Given my insurance company and its dismal preferred DME's, it costs me far less to buy my equipment on-line, out of pocket than to play their games

I have to pay $2000 out of pocket before insurance will reimburse for out of network claims.....bummer!!!

You mentioned you have bcbs. I would call your insurance and forward copies of all the bills you got from teh dme.

I have printed itemized statement from BCBS member website, I've sent to DME showing the error. I printed the online EOB claims for the 11 months billing prior to my initial contact with the DME. BCBS caught this and required a repayment. I'm waiting to see if I get a refund or another bill......then I'll consider a complaint with the state attorney general office since I have now provided clearly documented efforts to have a correction.

APRIA RIPOFF STRICKS AGAIN

This DME is not associated with APRIA. It is it's own demon.

refrain not reframe or they might want to bill you for a spell checker and time spent sorting out what you wrote
there might be more typos of course so triple check it

I'm typing on a dinosaur that hardly allows any effective use.....lucky to get a few emails and occassional internet access. My new computer is enroute....so I'm told.....and be nice, there's not a spell checker that can assist with a nice disposition. Criticizing someone's typo's or writing style is reflective of intolerance.....only a few of us can be perfect....sorry, I was left out.

is this the only machine you got from them? or did they pawn off a straight cpap on you first?

No, I knew in advance what machine I wanted and let it be know I would not accept anything otherwise. This particular DME only has ResMed's and made no effort to influence me differently, beyond that initial good experience, they have been less than desireable.
elg5cats......no time for spell check on this working machine, now got to ge to work.

[BlackSpinner]

Love your sense of humor!

I think your rate for accounting services is a bit high.

Are you kidding? That is low for a consultant.

[elg5cats]

Love your sense of humor!
Can you really return the equipment for reimbursement (did you mean 'refund')? I wouldn't make false or extravagant claims as I feel it weakens any argument I am trying to make and is less persuasive.

I think your rate for accounting services is a bit high. I keep my goal in mind; if I want someone to do something for me, I use more honey and relationship rapport; if I want to communicate my dissatisfaction and take the risk of alienating the other person(s), then I'm more liberal with the vinegar.

My arguement is factually present. I have documents......contract for equipment, official copy of insurance payment and my assigned copayment, bank statement of checks paid....and the total. Alienation occurred the day I recieved my machine. I was left setting for 1.5 hours in freezing frigid temperatures after driving to work, paying $20 for parking to leave work and drive to DME, then blamed for coming on the day of appointment I had confirmed earlier in the day.....The RT forgot me or maybe decided I would not drive in a snow storm to get equipment....and didn't check this out with me....the poor handling of my abandoment resulted in DME termination. I packaged up an unopened mask, mailed it back to them with delivery confmirmation. No business since, and won't go back. My honey is reserved for those deserved. My fees are consistent with the fees I recieve........I do believe in equality! I no longer tiptoe around people smashing my feet and head with sledge hammers. If a business wants sweetness and honey from me, they must perfrom in a manner that earns it. I don't use it to manipulate then find myself angry when my honey was taken and services still bad. Difference in how we do things.

elg5cats

[Gerryk]

What insurance companies pay for some things and don't pay is rediculous. I got my BiPap machine about 13 months ago. My insurance was billed $4480.00 and paid $3336.00, All my new equipment total billed to insurance was $5615.00 and the amount they paid was $3941.00 My wife also has insurance so we paid nothing out of pocket.
The reduced amount the insurance paid is the agreed amount for that provider to be in their network. However when I got my machine I could have gotten it online for about $1200.00 less and 8 months later I could have gotten one for $2200.00 les online.

Gerry

[Patrick A]

I paid thru the noise toAPRIA RIPOFFI recieved a walker from them a nebulizer also a Tens Unit, when I complained to my insurance BC/BS FEHB they made APRIA RIPOFFrefund them the money that they paid them.....APRIA RIPOFFnever refunded me a dime of the co-pay I paid them for the Walker, Tens Unit. They billed over $3000.00 dollars for both items. It took me almost a year and a half for BC/BS FEHB to get their money back all the while I was still getting a bill from APRIA RIPOFF
All of the items that APRIA RIPOFF bill for were covered by OWCP

[LSAT]

Patrick..HERE'S AN IDEA.......STOP GOING TO APRIA. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!

[Guest]

I agree, the whole "Apria Ripooff" mantra was informative in the beginning however having it stuffed in your face everytime you post it just becomes annoying and anything of value that you were trying to convey just gets lost.