CPAPtalk.com

You guys looked at BillMyInsurance.com?

It's a cpap.com company and I believe they are approved medicare DME providers.

Might simplify a lot of things for you.

As I remember it, billmyinsurance.com did not take Medicare. There was cpapforseniors.com for those on Medicare but I don't know that they are still in existence.

My recent experience was, the hospital-selected DME happened to have the machine I wanted (IntelliPAP), sent someone over with the most favored mask (Swift LT), and she showed me how to use the unit, change filters, discuss the 'delay' feature, discuss cleaning and answered any questions. I think I prefered getting the personal delivery instead of receiving the device in the mail. Also, If I had gone online my insurance would have a 500 dollar deductible, whereas the in-network DME was completely covered. So online would've been out of the question for me.

Actually, your physician's refusal to provide the prescription and allow you to choose where to fill it constitutes unprofessional conduct. Her concern that you have adequate support is commendable, but dictating to the patient where they fill ANY prescription is unethical and, in some states, illegal. Your health risks of continuing without CPAP are greater than those with inadequate support. You may want to contact your state Medical Board for further advice. You are also entitled to a copy of your sleep study as part of your medical record. The titration part of the study will specify the reccomended pressure settings. Any doc or Physician Assistant can write the order or prescription. If you went totally cheap and just bought a used machine off of Craig's, there are sites that give the secret codes to setting the machine. Good luck. Get going, CPAP is a matter of life and breath.

Dr. Flatus wrote:Actually, your physician's refusal to provide the prescription and allow you to choose where to fill it constitutes unprofessional conduct. Her concern that you have adequate support is commendable, but dictating to the patient where they fill ANY prescription is unethical and, in some states, illegal. Your health risks of continuing without CPAP are greater than those with inadequate support. You may want to contact your state Medical Board for further advice. You are also entitled to a copy of your sleep study as part of your medical record. The titration part of the study will specify the reccomended pressure settings. Any doc or Physician Assistant can write the order or prescription. If you went totally cheap and just bought a used machine off of Craig's, there are sites that give the secret codes to setting the machine. Good luck. Get going, CPAP is a matter of life and breath.

Good to see an enlightened doc posting here. There are many, but we tend to talk about the unenlightened ones.

Thanks so much,

DenFtlaud asked:

I now need a new machine, and am not sure how that will work out as I now have Medicare. Does anyone know how to purchase online and get medicare reimbursement?

I know of two online providers of CPAP machines and masks who will bill Medicare (have not used them):

http://www.cpapforseniors.com
http://www.billmyinsurance.com

Good luck Den.
Joy

PS - After reading the posts above, I checked again. BOTH of these suppliers currently are in existence & both bill Medicare.

Maybe it's just my experience, but I found it almost more appalling that the doctor assumed the DME would provide a level of support and encouragement. The level of support I got from my (brand-name, insurance-approved) DME was to fill my prescription wrong, provide me with incorrect pricing information, send me home having been allowed to see only one machine and one mask, and call me a month later to ask, "Are you using it?" Me: "Yes." DME: "Okay, great! Don't forget to stop in if you need filters or anything." Me: "I've forgotten -- how often do I need to change the filter?" DME: "I think it's every three months, but I'm sure it's in the manual someplace. Or you could try the manufacturer's website. But we do stock them if you want to have a few on hand." End of call, end of support. Next time I talked to anyone there was almost four months later when I called to find out why they were trying to extort another $300 from me.

Rooster, Dr Flatus (love the sense of humor in his selection of ID) is NOT a doctor. Dr Flatus is a PA (Physician Assistant). I was surprised a doctor would use the term "secret codes" and would recommend craigslist. Recommending cpapauction is one thing, but craigslist is sticking one's head out a bit for a medical professional for a piece of medical equipment. Even anonymously.

Recommending cpapauction is one thing, but craigslist is sticking one's head out a bit for a medical professional for a piece of medical equipment. Even anonymously.

agreed.

can i nominate this professional for knighthood. clearly one who cares and is wise in the ways of patients.

i think that arrogant idiot that wouldn't give you a script should at least loose thier liscense. arrrrrr string um up by the yardarms!!!!!!!
if ya want to really get his goat call the local media and make friends with the reporter no one likes. a spot on the 5 o'clock news sshould change his tune .

Thanks, Rooster for the kind reply.

Slinky [gotta appreciate the appropriateness of this tag], we are talking options. OPTIONS. Knowing about options is what the forum is all about, not making specific reccomendations. The doc who refused to write a RX denied the patient options. Seems like you are painting with the same brush here. Yes, I am a PA. No, Craigs is not my first choice for equipment for my patient, but for the patient at the free clinic where I volunteer, who has moderate or severe apnea, it may be the ONLY choice. And if it is their choice, I will be there to help guide them in it's set-up and use. And yes, the codes are secret. For a reason. A good reason. But I have sought them out and used them to give my patients options.

And I think that this is all I have to say on this topic.

Slinky wrote:Rooster, Dr Flatus .... is NOT a doctor. ..............

So I still haven't found one doctor enlightened about sleep apnea?

Thanks to all that replied to my question whether it was ethical for a sleep doctor to say she won't work with me if I order a machine on-line.

I made an appointment with another sleep doctor in another practice and I got a second opinion. The new doctor was willing to answer all my questions regarding results of the polysonogram and titration studies, and wrote me a script and said I could take it anywhere.

I had also questioned the first doctor's choice of a autoadjust BPAP with Bi-Flex given the titration results and the second doctor said based on the results of both studies the BPAP with Bi-level was overkill. According to the results of the titration study, the time spent on a bilevel as opposed to time on the cpap made my results WORSE.

Thanks to the encouragement and feedback from members of this forum, I found a second opinion, can order a machine from anywhere I want, and learned that sometimes doctors think patients are sheeples.

Thanks.

And you did all that between May 7 and May 8 ?????