Walmart and personal control

[chunkyfrog]

And the poor slobs with no insurance can bloody well croak.

[leejgbt]

And the poor slobs with no insurance can bloody well croak.

We have a patient assistance program that in most cases reduces or eliminates the charges. We also have used equipment that we donate to select hardship cases........But that is not what you meant was it??????

[Tip10]

Why have I been so successful with this? I DO NOT USE INSURANCE FOR OSA!
Stephen

And the poor slobs with no insurance can bloody well croak.

To each his own. I personally have no trouble with having to have a prescription for a machine or mask as my Doc has been extremely forthcoming in discussing and providing whatever I request. My DME has also been very helpful in determining what it is I need and what;'s best for my treatment. Never had any issues with either one of them. My insurance also does not have many of the "rules" that are apparently in place for many of you. If I decide I want a different mask I call my DME, tell them what I want and they contact insurance and its covered -- never did any kind of rental on my machine -- got it, 30 days later insurance paid for it completely -- end of story. In the 3 months or so I've been on CPAP insurance has completely covered 3 masks (and some replacement parts for one of them).
I realize I'm probably fortunate in this regard -- I've got a good doc, a decent DME and good insurance.
I feel for those who don't but the bottom line for me is DON'T SCREW UP THE GOOD DEAL I HAVE in trying to make a One Size Fits All solution to solve somebody else's problem.
That's the major problem I have whit MOST of the Socialized medicine or National healthcare approaches put forth recently -- in every single approach the result for me personally will be a loss of benefits, increase in price, interference with my relationship with my doc or all of the above.

[SRSDDS]

I may not but most other people will. And to tell you the truth when I was prescribed my cpap I did come here and I didn't understand a word of what people were babbling about because i was so sleep deprived. Not until i had been on the machine for a month did all the babble start to make sense.
No free markets are not safer for consumers - you try and buy drugs off the internet - you have to hope you will get the good stuff. Look at any industry that is not regulated and you don't know what you are buying. Names, ingredients, details change and what you think you are buying is something totally different. Take home renovation - which is lightly regulated and look at what a crap shoot that is. Or just look at the history of milk. Or China - want some baby formula?

BlackSpinner,
You are being quite dramatic.

I don't think anyone would want NO government control over the BASIC QUALITY of prescription, or any other kind of, medicine or devices. The problem is that they don't stop there. They very heavy handedly control the supply chain and the interaction between the DME or pharmacy, and the consumer. This is primarily done directly through DME and prescription regulations. and indirectly through insurance regulation.
The government needs to get back to it's Constitutional duties--inlcuding protecting the people, while not trampling over their free choice and liberties.

Stephen

[Goofproof]

The DME/insurance cartel holds us all hostage and needs to be broken.

As a member of my state DME association we are constantly trying to get Medicare and the insurance companies to see reason when it comes to the rules governing certain DME items like CPAP.

You and the rest of your DME buddies would c*%# your pants if the regulation requiring a DME license to supply CPAP equipment and oxygen tanks was dropped.

I know you make the big bucks off those oxygen tanks. After the patient has used a tank or two he gets it down pat and could just as well get his reorder tanks from a low-cost internet supplier or WalMart. No need to have a licensed DME. You would be out of business and oxygen would be delivered at much lower costs and with less hassle for the patient. The doctors would also be happy about this.

How do you know I make big bucks off oxygen tanks? Do you know the regulatory constraints involved? If you can name even half I will get out of the oxygen tank business. As far as CPAP regulation, most DME companies are playing catch up with these inane regulations. I am a capitalist. I love competition. You help make this industry more competitive and you will see both service and price improve. Regulation by the government and insurance is what costs you money. Realize that most pricing charged by DME companies is set by Medicare and insurance (allowables). Only 1% of my business is self pay.

You don't supposed the 1% self pay, has anything to do about your pricing! Jim

[SRSDDS]

And the poor slobs with no insurance can bloody well croak.

Chunkyfrog,
I have spent about $1750 for all of my OSA related treatment and devices. This is LESS than a single month's insurance premium! If those "poor slobs with no insurance" would place the proper priorities in their lives, they very likely would be able to come up with a couple thousand dollars for some life saving treatment. If they truly can't, then we as a society should provide it for them. On a silver platter? Absolutley not. The least expensive way to provide it? ABSOLUTELY!

Stephen

[jnk]

. . . The least expensive way to provide it? ABSOLUTELY!. . .

Another "sell 'em at a discount store w/no Rx" supporter!

Good for you.

Welcome aboard.

Carbonman should be contacting you soon for you to receive your obligatory pitchfork-and-torch kit for rampart-storming along with us other villagers momentarily.

[carbonman]

. . . The least expensive way to provide it? ABSOLUTELY!. . .

Welcome!



.....although we are unruly.....we do have one rule.....

pillage before you burn.

[kempo]

And the poor slobs with no insurance can bloody well croak.

Chunkyfrog,
I have spent about $1750 for all of my OSA related treatment and devices. This is LESS than a single month's insurance premium! If those "poor slobs with no insurance" would place the proper priorities in their lives, they very likely would be able to come up with a couple thousand dollars for some life saving treatment. If they truly can't, then we as a society should provide it for them. On a silver platter? Absolutley not. The least expensive way to provide it? ABSOLUTELY!

Stephen

Yea, I had someone tell me how he couldn't afford health insurance the other day as he was sitting in his $42,000 SR71 4 wheel drive pickup with a $35,000 Ranger bass boat hitch to the rear of it. Hell, it would take $200 to fill both of them up with gas.

I didn't feel sorry for him at all.

[chunkyfrog]

Obviously, SOME folks only THINK they can't afford insurance because their priorities are bass-ackward.
I do not refer to them; but the guy who has worked his behind off for years to have and keep a 'good' job--
--with benefits--just to have it snatched away from him (or her) by a someone else's greed.
Once one runs out of benefits, he has no alternative but to take ANY job--thus finding himself in an impossible situation.
These lousy jobs are worse than no job at all; and countless families are without coverage because the law allows it.
Trying to wade through the morass of red tape and the rude run-around makes it easy to assume that
whoever is in charge really DOES NOT CARE. I try not to judge a person until I've walked a mile in his shoes;
but I've never had the privilege of wearing expensive shoes--I'd like to think I'd be fairer and more decent than those who do.

[So Well]

Another "sell 'em at a discount store w/no Rx" supporter!

Good for you.

Welcome aboard.

Someone (hint jnk) should start a thread so all supporters could post in one place about their support. It would be nice to have a bookmarked post with this list of supporters and see how big a following the issue could get.

Don't forget, if we want CPAP equipment sold freely in many more retail outlets, it is not just the Rx requirement that has to go. The requirement that sellers have a DME license also has to be repealed.

Let me add that if the regulations were repealed, there would not only be the low-cost providers that we always talk about. I can clearly envision that providers would also spring up offering equipment at somewhat higher prices but providing excellent services like training and maintenance. More choice. The medical care consumer wins both ways.

[JointPain]

I've heard (second-hand, but from a reliable source with direct knowledge) about a BMW-driving Judge who did not have any medical insurance. Got breast cancer. Suddenly managed to get herself on a federal government medical insurance program for the poor (not sure of the name - might be medicaid) and had her expensive chemotherapy paid for by the taxpayer. Which party is she affiliated with? The ones trying to dismantle the system she used!

[So Well]

I've heard (second-hand, but from a reliable source with direct knowledge) about a BMW-driving Judge who did not have any medical insurance. Got breast cancer. Suddenly managed to get herself on a federal government medical insurance program for the poor (not sure of the name - might be medicaid) and had her expensive chemotherapy paid for by the taxpayer. Which party is she affiliated with? The ones trying to dismantle the system she used!

Well since you don't even know the name of the program, how do you know any party "is trying to dismantle it"?

[leejgbt]

The DME/insurance cartel holds us all hostage and needs to be broken.

As a member of my state DME association we are constantly trying to get Medicare and the insurance companies to see reason when it comes to the rules governing certain DME items like CPAP.

You and the rest of your DME buddies would c*%# your pants if the regulation requiring a DME license to supply CPAP equipment and oxygen tanks was dropped.

I know you make the big bucks off those oxygen tanks. After the patient has used a tank or two he gets it down pat and could just as well get his reorder tanks from a low-cost internet supplier or WalMart. No need to have a licensed DME. You would be out of business and oxygen would be delivered at much lower costs and with less hassle for the patient. The doctors would also be happy about this.

How do you know I make big bucks off oxygen tanks? Do you know the regulatory constraints involved? If you can name even half I will get out of the oxygen tank business. As far as CPAP regulation, most DME companies are playing catch up with these inane regulations. I am a capitalist. I love competition. You help make this industry more competitive and you will see both service and price improve. Regulation by the government and insurance is what costs you money. Realize that most pricing charged by DME companies is set by Medicare and insurance (allowables). Only 1% of my business is self pay.

You don't supposed the 1% self pay, has anything to do about your pricing! Jim

Not really, as it is used to establish usual and customary charges. As you know medical costs rise faster than most other segments of our economy. DME's, physicians, hospitals, etc. have to predict today what their costs will be five years from now. This price reflects this estimate and is of course a high estimate. We do have patient assistance programs for this 1%.

[suzy rcp]

I work at a DME companies and a lot of the comments I have been reading are not true. The Board of Pharmacy requires you to have a new prescription every 2 years for a CPAP mask replacement. However, they do not require it for headgear, tubing, cushions, filters etc. Medicare DOES require a new RX yearly (regardless of the lifetime CMN on file from initial servicing). They also require Dr.'s notes stating that the patient still needs CPAP therapy, yearly. I really feel for the patients that are delayed service due to these regulations. Most rely on insurance coverage because of the cost of supplies. They just can't afford to pay out of pocket. Walmart will soon realize, that with the increased audits from Medicare, they will not be able to provide these items as easily as they think. And to the customers that have problems with their DME companies (as I have read in the comments here) obviously do not use Quality Home Medical.
It is very frustrating trying to provide good patient care in a timely manner with insurance companies doing everything they can to delay payment.