Does your DME allow Returns, Refunds or Exchanges?

Hi all I was curious about this topic of DMEs allowing or accepting returns or exchanges of masks that do not work out. As far as I know my DME does not. In the past when a mask they fitted me with was way off in size they just sold me a new mask and my insurance was stuck paying for 2 masks. But now as I am taking an active part in my therapy I am thinking that that was a bit of a, hmmm well 'scam', to be blunt. I can't see why a DME who supposedly was 'fitting' a mask to my needs, without ever measuring my face, would give me such a large mask only to have me come back in a few days and get a small. Now in hindsight I should have made more of a stink about them not taking back the large mask. How does the whole "we can't accept returns of personal items once opened" thing really work since their technique to fit masks was to grab a mask they thought would fit and slapp it on my face?

What are the experiences of the rest of you?
Does your DME do returns/exchanges?
Do you have to pay an extra fee for this?
Did your DME actually measure your face?

DME normally allow exchanges within 30 days. Some allow 1 some allow many. They do not take a loss on these exchanges. They get credit from the manufacturer. Often they don't even send the used masks back. If yours does not allow exchanges...look for someone else.

Well, "that'll be the day" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVGM86XIilw

Apria doesn't. First time if you buy the mask and machine at the same day you get 30 days.

No...DME has not measured my face.

I can and have returned masks that don't work for me within 30 days. No charge/no problem.

My DME will allow for 1-3 OOPS in 30 days - they just send another mask, won't take back the non-functional mask. My DME is clearly not the norm, but they are mail-order company & seem to do things differently than any other DME I've ever encountered. I'm basically happy with them for me. For my hubby, until he gets completely situated, he needs a local company for hands on.

My hubby's DME will exchange mask within 30 days as many times as necessary - just return the mask & they will switch it out with another. They have switched out his mask once & he is taking back the 2nd mask Monday to get another size, seems he needs a medium in that mask due to the placement of his eyes. He accepted the Amara a little too easily, I convinced him to try another mask since the Amara was leaving such awful red marks on his forehead. And that was WITH the Pad-A-Cheek liner! I think his new F&P HC432 may be much better, just need that medium to get it right.

I think the return policy is different between many different DME's. Seems to me I've seen DME's who will not take a mask back at all, to the other end of the scale where the DME just gives you another mask without a swap.

If you need something other than the policy your current DME offers, I'd shop around.

Jen

My DME has allowed my Dad to to exchange masks without a problem; he is on his fifth mask now. They are very accomodating to help him try to find one that will fit. However, if it is a resmed mask they can't exchange it, because they deal mainly with respironics.

Hello simplyme,

In order to be competitive, most manufacturers of masks allow for mask fit guarantee returns. This allows the provider to exchange your mask with no out of pocket expense. Some of the posts mention limits and I have been given numbers like that before. The policy of two mask fit swaps within 30 days seems to be the norm.

I entirely agree with the post about finding another provider if they don't allow mask exchanges. That kind of policy in my opinion represents ignorance about not only pressure therapy, but good business practises in general.

As a DME provider, I allow as many swaps as necessary.

Good luck!

Jim

In Texas at least if you have Humana Insurance. You have to use Apria. It appear that they were given a monoply and they do whatever they please. Which does not include 30 trial of masks, after the initial machine and mask presentation.

jencat824 wrote:My DME will allow for 1-3 OOPS in 30 days - they just send another mask, won't take back the non-functional mask. My DME is clearly not the norm, but they are mail-order company & seem to do things differently than any other DME I've ever encountered. I'm basically happy with them for me. For my hubby, until he gets completely situated, he needs a local company for hands on.

My hubby's DME will exchange mask within 30 days as many times as necessary - just return the mask & they will switch it out with another. They have switched out his mask once & he is taking back the 2nd mask Monday to get another size, seems he needs a medium in that mask due to the placement of his eyes. He accepted the Amara a little too easily, I convinced him to try another mask since the Amara was leaving such awful red marks on his forehead. And that was WITH the Pad-A-Cheek liner! I think his new F&P HC432 may be much better, just need that medium to get it right.

I think the return policy is different between many different DME's. Seems to me I've seen DME's who will not take a mask back at all, to the other end of the scale where the DME just gives you another mask without a swap.

If you need something other than the policy your current DME offers, I'd shop around.

Jen

May I ask who your DME is?

It is interesting to see how different DMEs are everywhere.

Mine seems to have been making some changes recently, updating a bit. Hopefully they will end up being good to work with long run… although the whole non returnable Gecko pad I got last month makes me less optimistic. But as I learn more I think I might have better ability to insist on what is or is not right for me before leaving the store. For example if I feel the mask is uncomfortable at the shop I won't accept the "it will feel completely different when you are laying down with it on" explanation. Yup it did feel completely different when I laid down, it hurt!

I'll just have to lay down in their store next time…
The DME will love me now that I'm getting better aquainted with xpap in general.

If I have to bring my pillow, blanket and folding cot, I'm inviting a camera crew!

At least 1 of the DMEs in my town has a single bed in each of the 2 or 3 offices in which the techs work from.

I personally have never layed down on them, nor have I ever seen any one else do it - but they claim that many new patients do use the beds to get a better fitting mask. They also claim that they fit the masks while it is connected to a machine (which one, I dunno).

grillhead wrote:

jencat824 wrote:My DME will allow for 1-3 OOPS in 30 days - they just send another mask, won't take back the non-functional mask. My DME is clearly not the norm, but they are mail-order company & seem to do things differently than any other DME I've ever encountered. I'm basically happy with them for me. For my hubby, until he gets completely situated, he needs a local company for hands on.

My hubby's DME will exchange mask within 30 days as many times as necessary - just return the mask & they will switch it out with another. They have switched out his mask once & he is taking back the 2nd mask Monday to get another size, seems he needs a medium in that mask due to the placement of his eyes. He accepted the Amara a little too easily, I convinced him to try another mask since the Amara was leaving such awful red marks on his forehead. And that was WITH the Pad-A-Cheek liner! I think his new F&P HC432 may be much better, just need that medium to get it right.

I think the return policy is different between many different DME's. Seems to me I've seen DME's who will not take a mask back at all, to the other end of the scale where the DME just gives you another mask without a swap.

If you need something other than the policy your current DME offers, I'd shop around.

Jen

May I ask who your DME is?

My DME is Nationwide Medical, you can google them, they are mailorder. Their website is not kept very current, I find what I want on cpap.com & then call them, tell them what I want to try & they send it out. They made a boo-boo by giving me an Icon Premo (straight CPAP) without checking the specific machine with my dr. They have since sent me the PRS1 560, an auto machine that my dr approved of. Probably because at my first dr visit after getting my machine he went nuts! He does't like the F&P software & neither do I. I took my copy with me, since I figured he might not have it & not only did he not want it, he wanted them to send me another machine, which they did. Because they didn't want the Icon back, I've got a back up. I know a lot of people need the hands-on that comes with a local DME, but my mail-order doesn't bother me.

Now my hubby is brand new to CPAP & I wanted hands-on for him, so he is using a local company called A2Z & they have been good so far to deal with. They are a little touchy that I use a different company, but they have been good about the current mask switching, which we didn't do until he first mask 'replacement' time.

If you want to switch your DME, PM me if you want specific data. I also order things from cpap.com sometimes when I need items they don't carry, like aromatherapy.

Jen

Hey there, Simnply you:
My DME (at least during the first month) could not have been more accommodating. (I'm sure this is because I'm "renting" the equipment for 10 months before it becomes mine and, if I give up, the deal is off!
He actually just kept GIVING me different types and styles of masks. I got best results with full face, but that was slowly eating my nose off. I've landed on the nasal pillows (which seem to work fairly well if I use a chin strap). He says he has also ordered me a TOTAL face mask just in case the pillows don't work as I want or, for use in times when I have nasal congestion. When he gives me that one tomorrow, that will be FIVE different masks I have at the house - all given to me free of charge.