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My Sleep Doctor's preprinted prescription with places to check off items & put in pressure settings / range does state that it is a "lifetime" prescription & also lists the "99 months".

My experience has been that a new prescription is always needed when you need a new machine.

But, the original prescription is good for all of the supplies for up to those 99 months. If you change DME, they may require a new prescription.

In fact, on my previous machine, I used the same original prescription to buy supplies for right at 9 years (always from the same DME).

My original prescription from 2006 stated "lifetime" for length of CPAP RX. About 2010 they said they needed an updated RX each year and my MD signed off on it for a few years. Last year he got uncomfortable doing this and sent me back to my sleep doc for RX. Sleep doc wondered why I was there and knew of no such state law. It cost me $25 and my insurance company $200 for this visit. Story I got from one employee at DME later was that the state had been in inspecting another area of medical equipment RXs at DME. The DME had just made their own policy to require a new RX each year for all medical equipment to be sure they covered themselves for any inspection.

It just didn't make sense to me (or my sleep doc).

When a DME makes up their own rules, just say NO!

Tell them you will take your "old" prescription to a "new" DME who does not make up their own silly rules.

It is amazing how quickly they NO LONGER need a new prescription.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is part of some scam by one or more insurance companies to deny coverage by throwing in more hassles and paperwork for the patient.

archangle wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if this is part of some scam by one or more insurance companies to deny coverage by throwing in more hassles and paperwork for the patient.

Yes, it does seem that "good for life" presciptions are good for life, unless an insurance company, or medicare, is involved.

I suppose if the docs get "difficult", there will be more and more scrips written by dentists,
nurse-practitioners, and veterinarians.

When someone states there is a law or regulation, ask them to show you by giving you the exact citation. I used to work in healthcare and am here to tell you that many of these "rules" are more urban myth than reality. It's always worth confirming, especially when you don't have the option to vote with your feet and go to a new DME because of insurance coverage issues.

chunkyfrog wrote:I suppose if the docs get "difficult", there will be more and more scrips written by dentists,
nurse-practitioners, and veterinarians.

Veterinarian????

Janknitz wrote:When someone states there is a law or regulation, ask them to show you by giving you the exact citation. I used to work in healthcare and am here to tell you that many of these "rules" are more urban myth than reality. It's always worth confirming, especially when you don't have the option to vote with your feet and go to a new DME because of insurance coverage issues.

^^^^ This. I butt heads constantly with people who've been told a version of "da rules" that's 180 degrees off from reality.