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[quote="Anonymous"][quote="snork1"]And since when is a huge national mega-corporation such as Apria, to randomly choose one "acceptable" DME, considered "local"?????????

I always thought "Local" meant something like the mom and pop grocery store or the bicycle shop that is owned my someone in the LOCAL town?

Prescriptions written by the clinic are 8 1/2 x 11 computer generated forms that also serve as a letter of medical necessity. They are not provided by any other business entity.
Yes I do interpret it as not being able to use an online provider to fill the Rx. I didn't take it seriously-it did not affect my choice of DME-insurance did that. I do not believe the clinic thinks that the locals will give us better education, or service when we have problems.
It bothers me because it seems like an attempt to protect a group of businesses that are providing less and less to the consumers they serve. One of my friends is a hospital social worker/discharge planner and the local DME situation has rapidly deteriorated in just the last two years. Poor delivery and little in the way of problem solving. Apria has a Joint Commission accreditation certificate on their wall-I do know what it once took to get that piece of paper-and Apria does not provide that kind of service.

krousseau,

You and I know who the clinic is. They are well respected.
Have you asked them why they do that?

krousseau wrote:Yes I do interpret it as not being able to use an online provider to fill the Rx.

I think that's how they want you (and everybody else) to interpret it, however it isn't true. According to my doctor, it is not legal to restrict where you can get your prescription filled. I'd strongly suggest you mention that to the powers-that-be at your clinic and see how quickly those words disappear from their form.

couldn't agree more with guest's post.

I did say something to one of the docs I saw. He wasn't the one who signs initial RX's though and I really think he was a little surprised to see the line too. Since it is bugging me now I agree I have to pursue it.

I should have said I now interpret it as an ATTEMPT to limit my choice of providers and shut out online providers. Initially when I read it-didn't consider the implications-just thought it odd as they get patients from all over. Also I did not know at that time I could order on line. I called Apria to set up a machine as soon as I left the clinic. I found out about this site & CPAP.com the day I was to pick up the APAP, did a quick price comparison and went with Apria.
Hadn't thought about that line until going on Medicare and deciding to switch to CPAP for Seniors-so it has been bugging me as I know there are people out there who don't know that docs can't restrict choice of providers. It is a bit tricky as they are not sending you to a specific provider which is clearly unethical-just saying use local providers only-and nothing about internet providers. Obviously insurance companies restrict our use of providers through preferred provider plans and other options that are even more restrictive-and they do it to maximize their own profit. The practice of docs making referrals to specific providers became unethical/illegal when physicians set up their own DME companies and wrote inappropriate Rx's to their own companies-to max their profits.
Ah the inconsistencies in the whole system. Needs a thorough overhaul-revolution. I'm laughing because in the 80's I was part of a group of nurses considered radical because of the changes we were trying to make in health care. And some people think I'm only a liberal.

[quote="krousseau"] And some people think I'm only a liberal.