MINNESOTA Members: DME Questions

So, if I'm understanding correctly, I have to get a prescription from my sleep dr and take it to a DME to get a machine. She will first be ordering an at-home trial to determine the pressure, as my sleep study was inconclusive about this. I have no idea what happens after this first step. I get the impression that there are a lot of horror stories out there, and that makes me nervous.

What do I need to do or know to best advocate for good care?

If you're in the Twin Cities (esp. the western 'burbs, any companies you would give a thumbs up or down to? (I hope it's okay to ask this here.) Send me a private message if you prefer.

I worked with Lakeland Health Services in Golden Valley for my sleep study, and got my equipment from them. I have no horror stories, except I was channeled from my family practice guy, to Lakeland, to a Sleep Dr, back to Lakeland, and given a non-data recording machine, without ever being presented with options or choices. Then I came here and got wiser, and on my first re-check with the sleep doctor I got him to rewrite the prescription for a device that recorded events (therapy data). Lakeland resisted but ended up giving me the Respironics M-Series Auto. If you're going through this, ask your sleep doctor to write the prescription that way initially. After 4-5 months I am still using the machine, and sleeping much better.

Posted as guest for sake of anonymity this time.

Thanks! Sounds like if Lakeland did it once (even if with resistance), I might have some luck also getting them to "be nice".

I just put a call in to the sleep dr's office; they will tell me if I need to make another appt. If they are willing to forgo that and just write up a prescription, I will first ask them to tell me what's on it, so if I have questions I can address them then. Next I will ask them to send it to me so I can do my own DME shopping/selection. Guess I might as well get a decent one from the start. And probably will have to call the ins. co. at least once. (sigh)

Does this sound like an efficient plan?

Anyone else in the area want to register a thumbs up or down on a local DME...?