CPAPtalk.com

Heart Jumping wrote:

DeepFriedDuck wrote:The doctor is smarter than you. Ask around for a dumb one.

What a strange response, that's the second strange response in this thread as if there's some weird back story going on here.

BlackSpinner wrote:Actually the doctor doesn't seem very competent and if probably illegally in bed with the DME. Not the smartest thing as they will be reported now. Maybe a letter to the IRS would be of benefit too.

The doctors office was unprofessional, at least based on the OP's side of the story, so now in addition to reporting him he should write a letter to the IRS, because he's "probably" in bed with the DME? Should he also report the doctor for sexual assault, just for good measure?

Most have gave great advise then some random person with a few posts pops a strange comment in? Must be that time of that year

I find it best to kill them with kindness. Be so polite and sweet in your demeanor that you put them into a diabetic coma, but don't give up and make them know they're not going to wear you down.

It might also be a good idea to send the doctor himself a letter, thanking him for his services and state your side of the incident and tell him that you were not belligerent at all, but the person you were talking to was being a bitch. Phrase it differently, and make it sound like you are a very reasonable, sweet person and the person you were talking to was being abusive and reflects badly on his business.

Keep it fairly short, the doctor is unlikely to read a long letter. Be sure to ask for the letter to go to the doctor.

archangle wrote:I find it best to kill them with kindness. Be so polite and sweet in your demeanor that you put them into a diabetic coma, but don't give up and make them know they're not going to wear you down.

It might also be a good idea to send the doctor himself a letter, thanking him for his services and state your side of the incident and tell him that you were not belligerent at all, but the person you were talking to was being a bitch. Phrase it differently, and make it sound like you are a very reasonable, sweet person and the person you were talking to was being abusive and reflects badly on his business.

Keep it fairly short, the doctor is unlikely to read a long letter. Be sure to ask for the letter to go to the doctor.

Well said, though there are some that only intimidation works with, but overall I agree. If he were to take that approach I'd send it Fedex to the doctor and mark it "personal and confidential". Still not a guarantee the office manager won't grab it, but far less likely. I've found the Fedex letter approach combined with "personal and confidential" often helps to get a letter past the gate keepers to the person you want it to get to.

Heart Jumping wrote:Well said, though there are some that only intimidation works with, but overall I agree. If he were to take that approach I'd send it Fedex to the doctor and mark it "personal and confidential". Still not a guarantee the office manager won't grab it, but far less likely. I've found the Fedex letter approach combined with "personal and confidential" often helps to get a letter past the gate keepers to the person you want it to get to.

Except if you work for someone who says... open anything that comes into this office - there is nothing to hide here. I would think that doctors might be more concerned about having something stamped "personal and confidential", but ya never know. If a doctor fired me for something I thought was totally untrue, you can bet there would be many personal and confidential letters sent to that office; they would eventually get to the doctor's desk.

DR.'s are a dime a dozen ... just move on and interview a new one or two.

Lucyhere wrote:

Heart Jumping wrote:Well said, though there are some that only intimidation works with, but overall I agree. If he were to take that approach I'd send it Fedex to the doctor and mark it "personal and confidential". Still not a guarantee the office manager won't grab it, but far less likely. I've found the Fedex letter approach combined with "personal and confidential" often helps to get a letter past the gate keepers to the person you want it to get to.

Except if you work for someone who says... open anything that comes into this office - there is nothing to hide here. I would think that doctors might be more concerned about having something stamped "personal and confidential", but ya never know. If a doctor fired me for something I thought was totally untrue, you can bet there would be many personal and confidential letters sent to that office; they would eventually get to the doctor's desk.

To be clear, I only said "IF" he were to take that approach . I actually think the time to kill with kindness was in the "request my prescription" phase. I'd now be moving to the "burn it to the ground phase". Well, not literally , but I'd make it clear to them I expected my prescription by the end of the day.

As fun as all this banter is, it would be nice to hear from the OP what he intends to do and if he has demanded and received his prescription. Unless he said and I missed it.

I thought I had the perfect lifetime CPAP prescription.

Here is what happened today when I called to follow up on a late delivery.
My DME, Versus, told me my delivery was delayed due to their not having a prescription.

I reminded them they sent their first delivery to me 3 months prior so they did have a prescription and was told this was a complimentary delivery [not billed to Medicare] and did not require a prescription. [Strange answer. I will check my Medicare statements.]

I was told the Medicare schedule for pillow reimbursement is 5/month which is not true.

I also was told the doctor’s order needed to be very specific in terms of type of mask, quantity and frequency and every time I changed my mask type I would need a new prescription.

I faxed them my lifetime CPAP prescription during the phone call which allows me to choose my mask type and it was denied.

They sent me their requirements pasted below:

Choose ONE Machine type:
□ E0601 CPAP □ E0470 Bilevel
Pressure setting ________________ Pressure setting ________________
(blank is default to AUTO) *List additional diagnosis codes (if applicable)
□ E0471 Bilevel with backup rate, noninvasive
Pressure setting ________________
**Requires additional diagnosis – Dx:____________


Choose EITHER heated or non-heated Humidification
□ E0561 Non-Heated Humidifier □ E0562 Heated Humidifier

Choose ONE mask type and its corresponding cushions and/or pillows
□ A7027 Oral/Nasal Combo Mask, 1 per 3 months □ A7030 Full Face Mask, 1/3months
A7028 Oral Cushions, 2 per month A7031 Full Face Cushion, 1 per month
A7029 Nasal Pillows, 2 per month
□ A7034 Nasal Mask, 1 per 3 months □ A7044 Oral Mask, ______per ______month(s)
A7032 Nasal Cushion, 2 per month *contact payer for quantity and frequency
A7033 Nasal Pillows, 2 per month

Choose EITHER Heated or Non-Heated Tubing

All other supplies as needed as listed below:
A7036 Chin Strap, 1 per 6 months A7035 Headgear, 1 per 6 months
A7038 Disposable Filter, 2 per month A7039 Non-Disposable Filter, 1 per 6 months
A7046 Humidifier Chamber, 1 per 6 months A7045 Exhalation Port, contact payer for quantity/freq.

So if I want to change from a nasal mask to a full face mask in 3 months I must get a new prescription even though my doctor has checked off all types and written patient to choose.

This is crazy. Has anyone else experienced this???

Thank goodness we have CPAP.com. 2 days before Thanksgiving I ordered a new mask type using my original 1 year old lifetime prescription and received it yesterday. I placed my DME order with Versus about a month ago and do not know when I will receive it, apparently anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks.

Based on today’s experience I regret I recommended Versus on this site.

grayghost4 wrote:DR.'s are a dime a dozen ... just move on and interview a new one or two.

Yes.

Sonnyboy wrote:I thought I had the perfect lifetime CPAP prescription.

Here is what happened today when I called to follow up on a late delivery.
My DME, Versus, told me my delivery was delayed due to their not having a prescription.

This is crazy. Has anyone else experienced this???

Very strange -- I've been using Versus for awhile now. Never experienced anything even close to this. Once I wanted to return a mask which didn't work out for me and except for waiting two weeks to get a return label, I've not had any problems with them.

I suggest you call and speak with a supervisor.

Lucyhere wrote:

Sonnyboy wrote:I thought I had the perfect lifetime CPAP prescription.

Here is what happened today when I called to follow up on a late delivery.
My DME, Versus, told me my delivery was delayed due to their not having a prescription.

This is crazy. Has anyone else experienced this???

Very strange -- I've been using Versus for awhile now. Never experienced anything even close to this. Once I wanted to return a mask which didn't work out for me and except for waiting two weeks to get a return label, I've not had any problems with them.

I suggest you call and speak with a supervisor.

Hi Lucyhere,

Thank you for the response. I asked to speak to a supervisor and then I asked to speak to a second supervisor. The second supervisor reviewed my doctor's prescription which is very specific and includes all the items on the Cpap.com template prescription and it was denied. The supervisor emailed me their prescription form which specifically asks for the doctor to choose one mask type, not 2 or more. I already know I want to order a full face mask in 3 months. I asked the supervisor about this and they said they would require a second prescription.

Have your ordered different types of masks??? They would not necessarily have called you if they needed a prescription change from your doctor when you ordered a new type of mask.

Sonnyboy wrote:Have your ordered different types of masks??? They would not necessarily have called you if they needed a prescription change from your doctor when you ordered a new type of mask.

I only use nasal pillow masks - and I've ordered two different masks (pillow masks) this past year. Never received pressure from them about ordering any other cpap related products.

I wonder if how they do things has to do with what state you live in? A few people I know have had good experiences with them, which is why I'm surprised to hear this.

My current DME is my FOURTH one.
I left the first two so politely that they had no idea I had left.
I was also very nice and polite with Apria, explaining that it wasn't them,
but the corporate organization I could not abide.

Lucyhere wrote:

Sonnyboy wrote:Have your ordered different types of masks??? They would not necessarily have called you if they needed a prescription change from your doctor when you ordered a new type of mask.

I only use nasal pillow masks - and I've ordered two different masks (pillow masks) this past year. Never received pressure from them about ordering any other cpap related products.

I wonder if how they do things has to do with what state you live in? A few people I know have had good experiences with them, which is why I'm surprised to hear this.

I just reviewed my email from Versus. The third person I spoke with is the "documentation" supervisor per his Versus letterhead.
He identified I live in California during the phone conversation.
He was insistent he was correct, that I was wrong and my doctor was wrong.
I got his name and direct phone number.
I told him I disagreed with him and that I would review his information and call him back.

chunkyfrog wrote:My current DME is my FOURTH one.
I left the first two so politely that they had no idea I had left.
I was also very nice and polite with Apria, explaining that it wasn't them,
but the corporate organization I could not abide.

Versus is my third DME and this is not counting Lincare who I disqualified after two phone calls.
Pickings are getting slim for me and this is why I was so happy about Versus.

This rule Versus is telling me about today could be a huge problem if I change to a sleep doctor that won't write a new prescription without an appointment first. I need to use Medicare to pay for my supplies.

Here is the order form showing what the "documentation" supervisor is saying he needs.