Doctor limiting equiment on prescription

[cdru]

When I originally went for my first sleep study, the technician let me try on a variety of makes/models of masks. Both nasal and full face. I asked about nasal pillows and I was told that my doctor does not like them so they can't allow me to try them. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I needed to order a new machine. I asked about Auto CPAP machines and again I was told that my doctor does not like them. I asked why and I was told that they are unreliable and that they have to be properly calibrated.

Now I'm intelligent enough to know that the excuses that I've been given are a load of crap. So what are the REAL reasons why a doctor would limit a prescription to apply to only a particular machine and/or mask? I know it's not required, as much more liberal prescription policies are accepted. The cynic in me says it's because my doctor is a crotchety old man that refuses to get with the time, and also relies on the continual revenue stream of always having to go through the office for any issue, no matter if it can legitimately be "self diagnosed" or not.

If the doctor writes a prescription for Mask A, do I have the right to buy Mask B? Or if the script says Machine Y that's only CPAP and doesn't do logging, can I insist on Machine Z that happens to be Auto CPAP but does do logging and is only configured as a simple CPAP machine?

[chunkyfrog]

Find a different doctor. You have better things to do than trying to teach or fight this troglodyte.

[LSAT]

Any MD, PA, Dentist etc can write you a prescription. If you have your sleep study results and know what pressure you were titrated at, dump your sleep doctor and have someone else write you a prescription. The prescription should read mask of patients choice. Then go to a DME that will work with you.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Three words to answer your question: Money. Money. Money.

By way of explanation. He wants you to have crappy equipment so he/she can get the highest margin of profit in the form of kickbacks from your equally despicable DME. They are probably hoping to sell you (or your insurance company) an ancient PR M-series straight CPAP machine for WAY too much money. Certainly an old piece of junk sitting in a closet somewhere collecting dust. BTW, nasal pillows are now approved for most new ASV machines and that means they can handle very high pressures, not that you'll necessarily need high pressure. New doctor time and right away. ...

[archangle]

There are a lot of biases in the medical mafia. Some are wrong but honest. Some are due to the bias for what is most profitable, for instance by not using CPAP data, and only looking at in lab $leep te$ts.

Then there are many doctors with delusions of grandeur and delusions of competence.

Many people, including doctors, try out many different types of things like masks, and then find one that works and solves the problem in a few cases. They then get sort of an emotional attachment and think that particular one is the best for everyone. Every time they hear of problems with other masks, it reinforces their idea that their mask is the best one.

[chunkyfrog]

I actually fired one doctor because he was showing signs of becoming senile.
They are not immune.