CPAPtalk.com

It is just incredible all the crap a person must endure to get treated for a medical condition. I got a copy of my script from the doc and also a copy of the sleep study and doctor's notes the last time I went there. Cpap.com had no luck getting the script faxed. The office ladies couldn't seem to figure it out. Finally I just emailed the one I had.
The pulmonologist was not knowledgeable about sleep apnea and was mainly concerned about compliance. My new internist said we couldn't address my high BP, weight issues, GERD & fatigue till I had sleep apnea controlled. ( I like her ) She referred me to another sleep center. They are very nice & understand that I intend to be an active participant in my own care. I still think I had a botched titration but so far no one wants to redo it.

The only downside it they seem to know less than I do about the Resmed S9 VPAP Auto. One NP said "pressure support" meant that if needed, the unit would deliver that much + pressure over the setting. Such as my setting was 13 IP so 5PS would mean it would go to 18 if needed.
I must have looked at her funny because she got flustered, went out and called RESMED then came back in & said it was very technical but that the 1st explanation was not right that it was only giving me a IPAP of 13. Sigh back to the forum for more help.

Drowsy Dancer wrote:The logic of this is kind of interesting. I'm not sure that a prescription as such is actually part of the "portability" part of HIPAA.

I know for sure that you can't just get a copy of your prescription for, say, oxycontin, or some other controlled substance that is consumable by invoking HIPAA. If you claim too often to your doc that you lost your scrip and need a replacement, you may find yourself fired by that doc.

I know for sure that you can get a copy of your prescription for eyeglasses, because of the FTC's Prescription Release Rule (e.g. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8942136). Eyeglasses are a form of DME.

Now it seems to me that a CPAP machine is more like a pair of eyeglasses than like a bottle of oxycontin, but there's no rule covering this at present.

We need the FTC to issue a Prescription Release Rule for CPAP machines!

Another person answered this as well, but indeed in most localities you are handed the schedule II prescription and must hand deliver it to have it filled. Yes, you can't have a copy for emergency purposes, but the real difference is simple:
- Eyeglasses and other DME are prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled at the patient's choice of provider. Most such prescriptions are good for a year, which is why YOU get to hold the prescription.
- "Normal" drugs are refillable, again, generally for a year, but unlike DME you don't hold the prescription. As most know, though, you can have that prescription transferred from on pharmacy to another all you want.
- I am not sure about Schedule III and IV drugs, which are refillable but have some limits.
- Schedule II drugs are never refillable (I'm talking US for all of this)
- Schedule I drugs are illegal (federally, anyway ... Marijuana is Schedule I according to federal law)

My point? There's lots of different kinds of prescriptions, but I've never heard of different kinds of DME prescriptions.

Also, if you happen to be a patient taking Schedule II, III or IV drugs, you absolutely SHOULD have some legally identifiable proof of your prescription, such as the bottle label, or depending on your pharmacy a receipt with the prescription details, so that if you are ever in a situation where you need to prove rightful use you can do so....

khauser wrote:
My point? There's lots of different kinds of prescriptions, but I've never heard of different kinds of DME prescriptions.

The only DME-specific rule of which I am aware is the Prescription Release Rule for eyeglasses (and I suspect contact lenses as well), which, notably, is a rule promulgated by the Federal TRADE Commission, not the Food and Drug Administration.

Think about the implications of that for a minute!

morrigan wrote:In general: I have to agree with Link that the actual RX is not part of my medical record and I am not surprised that the sleep doc won't hand it to me personally.

That may actually be the case, but it is just a technicality!

I have NEVER had a prescription written for me (CPAP, APAP, drugs, etc.) that I did not leave the Doctor's office with the ORIGINAL in MY hands.

And, I have NEVER had any Doctor tell me I could NOT have it.

Drowsy Dancer wrote:I know for sure that you can't just get a copy of your prescription for, say, oxycontin, or some other controlled substance that is consumable by invoking HIPAA.

I am no longer on any controlled substance pain medication anymore (my choice - because it affected me radically in negative ways).

But, when I was, the Pain Management Doctor I saw repeatedly gave me my ORIGINAL prescription for "controlled substances" for ME to take to the pharmacist.

AND, I ALWAYS made a copy of it BEFORE I took it to the pharmacist.

Not that I ever tried it, but I assume the pharmacist could tell a copy from the original because of all of the security markings on the prescription paper.

In the cases of ALL 4 of the CPAP / APAP machines I have purchased, the DMEs NEVER got the ORIGINAL. They received copies only & either never noticed or did not care - because they merely scan it into their computer system. I'll bet they do not even still have the COPY I initially gave to them.

FOLLOWUP:

I followed quietmorning's suggestion about having cpap.com request a prescription from my doctor's office. It took them a few days but they faxed it over and I was able to get a copy off the MyAccount area on cpap.com. yay!

Thank you for that excellent tip!

—M

morrigan wrote:FOLLOWUP:

I followed quietmorning's suggestion about having cpap.com request a prescription from my doctor's office. It took them a few days but they faxed it over and I was able to get a copy off the MyAccount area on cpap.com. yay!

Thank you for that excellent tip!

—M

Great! I'm glad it worked!

In most cases a prescription drug is "controlled" because it is likely to be used for non-medical (recreational) use.
I'm still trying to figure out how to get "high" on cpap. It makes me feel pretty good; there must be a way . . .

I cannot believe the way these people hold you hostage. Its so not right.

I went to my regular doctor yesterday with a printout of the post above, my doc wrote it exactly like that, marked fill as written and that was that.

He also wrote a separate Rx for a recording Pulse-ox. Now to find someone to fill it.

fredr500 wrote:He also wrote a separate Rx for a recording Pulse-ox. Now to find someone to fill it.

I didn't need one for my CMS-50. I think I bought it on eBay...

LinkC wrote:
I didn't need one for my CMS-50. I think I bought it on eBay...

Insurance is picking up the tab so thats why he had an RX written.

I called the sleep center who did my study 2009;requested a copy of study and RX. Got it via email today. Good luck all.

This is not something to "tip toe" around with.

You literally "own" your prescription and you have a right to it. Tell them you know your rights.