Can I skip the Mask "fitting"?

[chunkyfrog]

Since Apria is the only contracted Medicare DME within at least 50 miles, I'm going to let Medicare pay for some of my equipment.
The Apria office wants me to come in for a mask "fitting", even though I have already been wearing the Nuance Pro, and I know my size, etc.
Since I assume they want to dun Medicare and my Part B provider for said unnecessary fitting, can I refuse it?
Maybe I just shut up and go with the flow, Between Medicare Part B and my Plan F supplement, it costs me about two c-notes a month.

[LSAT]

Have you asked them to send the mask to you? If they refuse, you 'could' tell them you will utilize one of the other contracted national DMEs by mail.

[Tino2You]

Hey Fwoggy,

I was told when I wanted to skip the fitting, that is there was a problem with the fit then I could not return it if it did not fit (I was trying a new mask). When I went to my fitting, the RT told me they don't provide replacements regardless (I did not want to fight it so I just left with my mask).

Soooooo the important lesson is Every Apria office believes they can set their own rules. If you know what you want, then call the 800 number and order it. They will ding your insurance for everything they can get away with and they WILL (they tried to ding mine when they called up with an auto resupply and I told "I don't need anything" I had to change my insurance a few months before and they tried to ding my old insurance. they were not happy.

Tino

[chunkyfrog]

It probably won't matter, unless they are like CVS, who after 10 weeks with my Part B supplement,
they still want to bill both me, Medicare, & my supplement as well;
meaning I have to fax their receipt to 'corporate' in order to get my co-pay back (time: over a month).
This is so annoying, I'm seriously considering switching my test strips to another pharmacy.
(Edit: I just did--CVS can GTH)

[jamiswolf]

Hi Chunky,
My DME (Hometown Oxygen Silver City NM) was Medicare approved and once they recognized I was pretty independent and didn't need hand-holding, arranged so my supplies were shipped direct from main warehouse/office. So I think you're getting the DME runaround to pad their billing.
J

[StuUnderPressure]

The Apria office wants me to come in for a mask "fitting", even though I have already been wearing the Nuance Pro, and I know my size, etc.
Since I assume they want to dun Medicare and my Part B provider for said unnecessary fitting, can I refuse it?

I know that people in this forum have mentioned that there can be major differences in different local Apria offices.

I helped someone get just a ResMed S9 AutoSet & H5i Humidifier from a local Apria using Medicare & a secondary private insurance. NO mask was bought at that time because she had just gotten a new one from her previous DME.

When she needed a mask, she called the local Apria & was told that ALL conumables had to be purchased by telephone from their National Supply location (wherever that is). So, she ordered her 1st mask from Apria that way. Nobody ever mentioned anything about 1st requiring a Mask Fitting from a local Apria.

She has done that since February 2013.
And of course, you canNOT get a mask fitting by telephone - so I wonder why they are pushing a Mask fitting for you.
Well, I guess you could do a Mask fitting by FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad, but that is NOT a service they offer.

Did they actually tell you there would be a charge for that Mask fitting?
Even if there is not a charge, driving there when you don't really need to would be unacceptable to "me".

Go on the Apria website.
There you can find the telephone Number to their National Supply location.
You have to sign up on the website & give them your telephone number for someone from Apria to call you back.
Doing it that way, you can avoid the Mask fitting - if the local Apria insists on it.