The Big Lie

[snoregirl]

Darth,

I requested a quote from Bill My Insurance in order to see if they would work with my insurance. Their prices are similar to the DME prices that I have been seeing. No great bargin to be had there. I have the quote somewhere in the depths of my email maybe I can find it later.

Only advantage had my insurance been ok with them is the avoidance of the DME in general. The idiot lecture the drive to pick it up, and of course the non-fight for the APAP. But as for dollars there was no savings.

[NightHawkeye]

Before this thread fades into memory, I'd like to recap with a few observations:

- Pointing out some basic facts brought derision and personal attacks with charges of vitriol, Nazism, and McCarthyism.
- Wild and loose allegations were hurled by those trying to defend the health care apperatus.
- Interestingly, those defending the system claim to be professionals within that very dysfunctional system.

Like many discussions here, this thread has been enlightening, most notably the shallowness of the counter-arguments. Those on the defensive felt entirely free to question and belittle me and others, yet became indignant and refused to answer when questioned themselves. Perhaps that's a natural reaction when the thin veil of mystique has been removed.

Yet, as many of us here know all-too-well from personal experiences, the only way to achieve good treatment many times is to not only challenge their health care providers but also to let them know clearly what your expectations for treatment are. This might include, for instance, requesting that your physician write you a prescription for an APAP rather than a CPAP.

After all, what possible legitimate rationale could a physician have for not doing so?

Regards,
Bill

[Offerocker]

Yet, as many of us here know all-too-well from personal experiences, the only way to achieve good treatment many times is to not only challenge their health care providers but also to let them know clearly what your expectations for treatment are. This might include, for instance, requesting that your physician write you a prescription for an APAP rather than a CPAP.

NightHawkeye, forgive my not knowing which side of the imaginary fence your experience is.
I HAVE challenged the HC Providers, only to receive from the owner: "You have what you need"..period.
From that, I wrote a letter to FAX to the pulmonary doc who is 'head' of a sleep lab that I had my most-recent test performed. I called the office for the number; he won't be in until Tuesday...so I discussed it with the "keeper of the keys", the actual expert there on equipment. I was soliciting the doctor's help in geting the provider to provide me with either a CPAP PRO2 , or honor the prescrition they have for an Autopap.

Well, I got an earful...WE NEVER Rx Autopap's - they're for professional diagnoses!! What makes you think you need one, since WE let you know you you're doing and what you need. I asked how they know how I'm doing? Well, THEY ASK ME!! And look at the compliance data on the dummy card (old pro model, remember). So, they 'sound' like they want complete control, and do NOT WANT MY INPUT except for "how ya feelin'?" I wonder what Rx they'd write if I told them "Lousy". And this will go on for another 9 months...
I purchased an APAP, am setting it at pressure levels designated by the two different labs (yes, two pressure levels), which are 7-11. Guess what?! I'm constant at 11. Which tells me that I need to bump up the maximum and see where it takes it.

After all, what possible legitimate rationale could a physician have for not doing so?

That's what I thought, NightHawkeye, and that's why I wrote the letter, which I will now MAIL, so that he will GET it.

I have learned more from this Forum than the pulmonary doctor or either of the sleep labs or their technicians, or their nurse practitioners, or the DME, who DID help me get on oxygen at night. She onlly works there.

Imagine how LOST we would be without the education and support of this group. And, it IS self-monitoring; most of us are smart enough to weed out good info from bad, how far to trust anyone, etc. Thank God you're all more accessible than the medical personnel I need to deal with.

One man's opinion, one man's experience, one tired, sick-n-tired soul...

[NightHawkeye]

NightHawkeye, forgive my not knowing which side of the imaginary fence your experience is.

My experience is that I have "failed" two sleep studies, seen an entensive parade of physicians in an attempt to get some definitive diagnosis for my problems of at least 30 years, tired of fighting the system, and given up in disgust - that is until late last year when I decided to just spend insurance money with reckless abandon through the last day of the year.

Somewhere in that process, I decided, " by God", I was going to get to the bottom of things if I had to do it myself, which, as many here have already heard, is exactly what I had to do. The simplicity of it surprised me. I wasn't really thinking my primary problem was apnea, but I just followed the trail, got the equipment I thought I needed for diagnosis - an oximeter - and the signs were pretty obvious. Oxygen desaturations, after all, are kinda hard to misinterpret. I would have purchased an EKG machine first, but luck was on my side, and the oximeter was a lot cheaper. Now, though, xPAP has worked so well, that I don't see the need for my own personal EKG machine.

Hope that clarifies which side of this virtual fence I'm on. I believe the impediments placed in front of individuals trying to manage their own health care are petty and destructive. Physicians need to be seriously challenged. They just don't seem to get nearly enough feedback the way things are now.

Regards,
Bill