DME Appointment

I made an appointment with the DME next week. I'm asking them to exchange my Remstar Pro for an Auto. My RX is for straight CPAP so they'll have to load it with that RX. I'm asking for the switch for the following reasons:

1) I don't want to pay for an obsolete machine when I go from rental to purchase. Why buy old technology not being sold anymore.
2) I want a machine able to collect more data that I can view with the software.
3) If I'm going to purchase, I want a more flexiable machine

On my last sleep study, my aphneas did not seem to change with pressure and I'd like to use the auto functionality to find my best pressure. Doc just picked a pressure of 12 and said to use it. I don't want to tell the DME that.

Are there any more reasons I can give the DME that'll get me the Auto machine?

You could possibly expand on #2 and tell the doc that it would give BOTH of you more information on your nightly sleep statistics.

That's about what my sleep doc did, too....just "picked" a setting (out of thin air) without a titration or the use of an apap machine or anything. I guess he just thought the number "18" sounded good to him.

Good luck,

Den

Find a new sleep dr. or go to your old one and tell him your reasons, most especially, now that you know more as to why he picked a straight CPAP with pressure of 12, instead of an APAP when they couldn't titrate you. If he says he doesn't prescribe APAPs because they don't work and are too "new", show him one of the articles in the archives about how and why they are better than CPAPs.

If he still persists, find a new doc. one that might be recommended (or avoided) by users here.

The DME can't and won't give you an APAP with that prescription. If it had said xPAP they could, but not with CPAP (only online companies will do that).

you could throw back at them, that they get paid the same amount whether they give you the best model they have with the most bells and whistles or the obsolete ones they should have sent back to the manufacturer when a newer model came out. You are entitled to new, modern equipment not old.

(They just want to make more money buy giving you the cheapie, obsolete CPAPs. and the most they will offer you will be a newer CPAP--I'd take that to the bank!)

If you are going to work through a DME, find a new doc. and tell him you will check with your insurance and get a list of DMEs in your area, but be sure YOU get the prescription, otherwise the DME gets and keeps it unless you have knowledge to ask for a copy.

If you call the insurance or the DME gives you the runaround that your company will only pay for CPAPs, CALL the insurance company and ask them, and while you're at it CALL and ask them how often you can get a new mask, humidifier, machine. With my BCBS it is on a Letter of Medical Necessity --no set time limit, unlike I was told by the DME.

Then, if you find out your insurance WILL pay for an APAP (they are all the same insurance code, find out how much, and figure if it would be cheaper to buy online through BIllMyInsurance.com, and how much your co-pay would be. Chances are a lot less than you are paying for the rental for however long. And the insurance company might come out in longrun a lot better off.

OR if you want, call those DMEs and see a. which carry the model you want. b. what the charge is, c. is it on hand or do they have to order it. Most will order and keep very few on hand. The ones they show you at your first visit are dummies. I didn't get my first machine for a month, had a Autoset Loaner for 4 weeks and it was not treating my condition very well at all, not nearly as well as the 420 did when I got it.

Thanks everyone - I expanded on the points you mentioned and walked out of the DMEs office with a nice new Remstar Auto machine set to CPAP mode (my prescription).

I'll order the Encore Software and card reader this week. Now I'll be able to see how I'm doing and track my progress.

Thanks again

GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

Now, good luck with your therapy.

Den