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Oh Happy Day!!! I just spoke with my insurance senior case manager about my situation.....they are going to report my DME for fraud and several other violations!
I am on SSI and they too,(UH OH!) are also going to take action against the DME!!!
They also are directing the appropriate authorities to contact me to file charges against the RT to have her license suspended/revoked.....

LOVE IT!!!!

Good Job!

*clapclapclap*

Really makes you appreciate the good DMEs

YEEEEHHHAAA.......Great!!!!!!

Thou art awesome, brave knight!

LOL...*takes bow* although the plus-size lady hasn't sang yet, I am very pleased. My new DME is working things out with my insurance as we speak.
Should get my new gear late this afternoon or tomorrow morning!!
The A-holes at my old DME will be getting some new things also. LIke a summons and a visit from the SSI regional ombudsman.
I hated my life yesterday.....I love it today.

Don't forget to copy the Tennessee Department of Health - Office of Investigations. If you can't find their complaint form online, their number is 615.741.8485

DiverCTHunter wrote:Don't forget to copy the Tennessee Department of Health - Office of Investigations. If you can't find their complaint form online, their number is 615.741.8485

Already done Diver!......It's sunny here, but a sh*# storm is a-brewing in Cookeville!!!!

I didn't have time to read the 2nd page. I read the 1st and last page. I'll put my opinion down also.

"Whenever" you go down to pick up a new machine from a DME and they have someone to meet with you and explain the pap to you. Decline it. UNLESS, you REALLY need info on it, otherwise you can find out about it on the forum. For a five minute presentation, I was charged $72, I kid you not. I'll never do that again In the beginning, there were times I called the RT also being charged $72 for three to five minute conversation. Now, if I call them, the first thing I ask is "Will you charge me for this phone???" Since I found the forum, I no longer call RT *whispers: btw it was Apria. You never heard it from me*

As for the brick, I recycled mine. I left it at my parent's house for when I spend the night there. When I spend the night over there all I have to bring is my water. I have a mask for there too. Atm, I have it at home to tweak before I send it over there. IMHO, those of you who own a brick, find a way to use it else where. As for my CPAP at home, I have it in the spare bedroom for those nights I sleep in there. The main is my APAP which I use in my bedroom.

Starlette wrote: "Whenever" you go down to pick up a new machine from a DME and they have someone to meet with you and explain the pap to you. Decline it. UNLESS, you REALLY need info on it, otherwise you can find out about it on the forum. For a five minute presentation, I was charged $72, I kid you not.

Wow!.....it's all starting to make sense now. Now I understand why the senior case manager at my insurance co. is so very very angry. Although he seems oddly pleased at the same time. Maybe this DME has had it coming for some time. Tn State Dept of Health is also salivating over this.

My setup appt with Apria lasted about an hour. If they got $72 dollars for that, I'm OK with it. They have to keep the doors open. The catch 22 is when there are no B&M stores and you have to wade through this on the internet from the beginning. Some folks need face to face help.

Understood Liz, definitely. I agree for the people that need help. However, I just wish (not sure if this is where the word "disclaimer" comes in) they'd be upfront stating "if you need assistance, there will be a $72 charge attached". To me, it feels like a hidden charge no one is talking about and you get stuck with the fee.

Well folks, I'll wrap this thread up now. I am happy to report that my new DME delivered (after biz hours) my new gear! The RT was an older woman who has been doing this since cpap hit the market.
She introduced herself to my wife and I, and promptly let us know that she too, uses a cpap to sleep. The 1st thing she handed me was the provider manual and a copy of the software for my machine!
We talked at great length over coffee, and after all our questions were answered, she left and we were totally amazed at how different this experience was compared to the other.

The O2 equipment she brought was brand new also. The other DME gave what appeared to Gear from the 70's!!
Now, I came of age in the 70's, and I'm totally a classic rock guy, but I like my life-saving gear to be current!

I have filed and lodged complaints with the Better Business Bureau against my ex-DME, SSI is launching a complete investigation and audit, TN State Board of Health is doing the same. My insurance carrier is witholding any further payments until all investigations and results are complete. The RT who told me I was an uneducated hillbilly will be undergoing a full career cavity search starting Monday morning.

My new DME said they have heard rumors of problems from my ex-DME, but nobody has ever pursued justice. I will continue to pursue this until resolution. I like to see bad people pay the price.
Now, it's on to trying to sleep better (or at all) and learn more about how to be proactive in my therapy. Thanks to you good people here, I have the chance now to do so.

oh and.....I slept 7hrs last night and only woke up 4 times! (as opposed to 30)... Stress relief or cpap? Who knows. Just glad to be on this side of the dirt!

Rut roh, now I'm concerned... I'm with Apria, too, and other than sending a bill without showing the credit that I paid it the very day they charged me, I have had no troubles. I was very on-guard when I went there, but I have been pleasantly surprised thus far. Love my RT. Don't know a thing about a $72 charge. Hope to not find out, since I've spent at nearly an hour each on two visits!

May I ask when you were charged for the five minute presentation? Were you billed later by mail, or at the six minute mark?

Starlette wrote:I didn't have time to read the 2nd page. I read the 1st and last page. I'll put my opinion down also.

"Whenever" you go down to pick up a new machine from a DME and they have someone to meet with you and explain the pap to you. Decline it. UNLESS, you REALLY need info on it, otherwise you can find out about it on the forum. For a five minute presentation, I was charged $72, I kid you not. I'll never do that again In the beginning, there were times I called the RT also being charged $72 for three to five minute conversation. Now, if I call them, the first thing I ask is "Will you charge me for this phone???" Since I found the forum, I no longer call RT *whispers: btw it was Apria. You never heard it from me*

As for the brick, I recycled mine. I left it at my parent's house for when I spend the night there. When I spend the night over there all I have to bring is my water. I have a mask for there too. Atm, I have it at home to tweak before I send it over there. IMHO, those of you who own a brick, find a way to use it else where. As for my CPAP at home, I have it in the spare bedroom for those nights I sleep in there. The main is my APAP which I use in my bedroom.

Starlette wrote:I didn't have time to read the 2nd page. I read the 1st and last page. I'll put my opinion down also.

"Whenever" you go down to pick up a new machine from a DME and they have someone to meet with you and explain the pap to you. Decline it. UNLESS, you REALLY need info on it, otherwise you can find out about it on the forum. For a five minute presentation, I was charged $72, I kid you not. I'll never do that again In the beginning, there were times I called the RT also being charged $72 for three to five minute conversation. Now, if I call them, the first thing I ask is "Will you charge me for this phone???" Since I found the forum, I no longer call RT *whispers: btw it was Apria. You never heard it from me*

As for the brick, I recycled mine. I left it at my parent's house for when I spend the night there. When I spend the night over there all I have to bring is my water. I have a mask for there too. Atm, I have it at home to tweak before I send it over there. IMHO, those of you who own a brick, find a way to use it else where. As for my CPAP at home, I have it in the spare bedroom for those nights I sleep in there. The main is my APAP which I use in my bedroom.

you need to speak with your insurance to see if they are breaking their contract by charging you. they are probably charging for something that is included in the price of the machine. my guess is that there is some fraud involved because if they can legally do this, more people would be talking about it happening.