DMEs. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

Took my "malfunctioning" 420E into the DME on Thursday April 21st, and received an ancient CPAP as a loaner (all they had available) set at 7. After a few days I realized it was set too low. Never a call one from the DME to see how I was doing, no reports on what was going on with the 420E on returning it to Puritan Bennet, no reports on my RTs supposed conversation with the Dr's NP regarding the many (relatively speaking about 18 per night) central apneas I was having.

Last week I called the Dr' and was scheduled for another sleep test. She had only received a few readouts from my old machine. No talk with the RT.

Yesterday, finally got a hold of the RT and was told that all the diagnostic tests they did on my machine showed nothing so TWO DAYS AGO they sent it off to Puritan Bennet. I reminded him it had been two weeks since I brought it in and said, "And you are just now sending it off???" He had no excuse and offered none. I also told him the CPAP was not working well and that I had finally opened up the 420E I had ordered when the other one wasn't working correctly. All he said was "well, good". Not, "Why don't you bring the CPAP in and we'll reset it", not "wish we had known sooner", nothing.

I live 45 minutes away from my DME, and the RTs are usually "out in the field". Chances are if I took the older machine in to get reset I'd have to leave it for several days before it got reset by them being in, and then another trip to town. I work most days, so I can't run back and forth to the DME. They have NEVER offered to make a "field trip" to my house except when I was first supposed to get my equipment and then it got cancelled for an office appointment instead. And I was told by the head office they no longer make "field trips" to individuals. Interesting.

Unfortunately, it sounds about par for the course. That's why people refer to the DME as standing for "dirty, mean, and evil". They certainly live up to their name in my experience too but my insurance requires that I use them or else pay for everything myself. If I use them, insurance will pay 100%. If I had the cash available, I certainly wouldn't bother with them. Hope things get better for you.

In my view, they are nothing but money grubbers and couldn't care less about someone elses health. I kicked mine to the curb 18 years ago, and have been buying with my own moola since. Mine was like the "blind leading the blind". No offense to anyone that is blind....