San Francisco Bay Area CPAP users on Medicare: Need new DME

StuUnderPressure wrote:It is only strict if you do NOT INSIST that they make an exception. I helped someone get a ResMed S9 AutoSet in Feb 2013 from a local Apria.
Part of that purchase was the stipulation that she be allowed to return the mask for an exchange during the 1st 30 days. Although she had been on CPAP already, she wanted to try a new mask & was not sure it would work. Apria agreed to it & even noted that on the invoice.

Actually, I did got up the ladder of command to the supervisor of the local Apria office - I did moan and bitch, but the supervisor still insisted "Once it's delivered to your door, the invoice is stamped closed out and its yours... no refunds". I asked, "How about a credit toward future purchases if I didn't open the manufacture's packaging? I was told: 'No exceptions'."

The take-away from this is that obviously each branch has its own bylaws and customs, which is really disturbing because Apria is a national DME (maybe the biggest) and it operates in virtually all the states. THE QUESTION REMAINS: Doesn't the national Apria office have a general policy or can any regional supervisor or office personnel just 'go rogue if they feel like it'? Hmmmm, maybe bad management practice? StuUnderPressure, I will try to negotiate a trial mask purchase as you suggested after my six months have elapsed... I will update everyone if I am successful or not. I may have to crack some heads together to make it happen

"THE QUESTION REMAINS: Doesn't the national Apria office have a general policy"

Sorry if this looks funny, I just started using Tapatalk, and don't know how to format here.

When I get a ridiculous answer like that, here is what I do. ( eg: yesterday my branch told me that if a mask was not purchased from them, they could never re-supply it. Also that I could not get a new mask without a specific Rx-never mind that they shipped me one when I ordered cushions.Also that I wS a capitated customer. ) YMMV.

1) I lodge an Apria corporate complaint: 1949.639.2000, reminding them if they are causing my therapy to be interrupted. I generally get resolution in a couple of days.

2) I call my insurer (in my case, UHC), and file a formal grievance. They have 30 days to resolve by law.

Yesterday, by the end of the day, I had a branch manager offer to have UPS pick up what I didn't order, give me her email address for future communication, and offer to drop-ship the right thing to my workplace.

Don't waste your precious energy trying to deal with the branch, go right to the top, where they have accountability. You are a CUSTOMER!!

Hope that helps.

Jeannh wrote: 1) I lodge an Apria corporate complaint: 1949.639.2000, reminding them if they are causing my therapy to be interrupted. I generally get resolution in a couple of days.

2) I call my insurer (in my case, UHC), and file a formal grievance. They have 30 days to resolve by law.

Yesterday, by the end of the day, I had a branch manager offer to have UPS pick up what I didn't order, give me her email address for future communication, and offer to drop-ship the right thing to my workplace.

Don't waste your precious energy trying to deal with the branch, go right to the top, where they have accountability. You are a CUSTOMER!!

Hope that helps.

Well, all I can say is your method is certainly worth a try tho it seems like a lot of work to complain up the various branches of authority at Apria and the various DMEs. Hopefully in the future Apria can address complaints without so many threats

I agree, it just hasn't been my experience.

I just had this with Crapria. I asked for a cushion and got a whole mask. I did a formal complaint with Kaiser. It turned out Kaiser turned my order into a mask (still don't believe that part!). I didn't want the entire mask because now I can't change for 3 months. And because I opened it to remove the cushion they would not take it back (baloney!).

The mask was supplied by a subcontractor--so Crapria is even less willing to take returns. But eventually kaiser credited the additional expense. Meanwhile, crapria tries to claim I got a "free" mask and should be grateful. I didn't want it in the first place.

Janknitz wrote:Meanwhile, crapria tries to claim I got a "free" mask and should be grateful. I didn't want it in the first place.

I go through that with my local DME (not Apria) every once in a while.

Instead of just ordering 2 cushions, they wonder why I just don't get the entire mask. My option to order a different mask later if I want to is always my answer.

Also, I get a new Headgear every 6 months when I am eligible.

But, since a Headgear will not last "me" 6 months, I periodically also get a new mask WITH the headgear. Medicare will pay the same amount for a new mask "with or without" the headgear.

Yes, it would be cheaper for Medicare to just allow me to get just the Headgear more often than 6 months. I even discussed it with them by E-Mail AND by telephone. Their answer was to tell me to buy a new mask every 3 months with the Headgear. I don't do it every 3 months because the times when I am able to get just the headgear (every 6 months) gives me an additional Headgear that I can put in the replacement rotation.

My problem is I need the small headgear, so the headgear In the packaged mask is useless to me (but they part it out, anyway, in billing, the creeps!

Of all the ones you've mentioned N2sleep will be the most qualified and nicest to use. I have dealt with all the companies you mentioned.
The owner Glenn is very good. Most of all he cares about what the industry is doing.

I can't imagine a company worse than N2Sleep - at least the folks I've had to deal with in Pleasanton. They are totally impersonal, robotic, mindless. If I could switch to another company I would, but we're all kind of stuck these days.. Something about these blasted insurance companies making rules about our care..
They don't call when items are backordered, they simply don't arrive. Keeps one guessing..if you like that kind of thing and enjoy talking to automatons. Who else is out there?

peacha wrote:I can't imagine a company worse than N2Sleep - at least the folks I've had to deal with in Pleasanton. They are totally impersonal, robotic, mindless. If I could switch to another company I would, but we're all kind of stuck these days.. Something about these blasted insurance companies making rules about our care..
They don't call when items are backordered, they simply don't arrive. Keeps one guessing..if you like that kind of thing and enjoy talking to automatons. Who else is out there?

I was surprised to read this. I've used them since 2011 and have had few issues. I did want a mask a few months back and they said they didn't have it and couldn't get it. Soooo, I called my doctor and got the mask I wanted within a week. She probably called or emailed them. I've not had any other problems and in comparison to other DMEs I've read about here, I'd give them a 9 out of 10. I called on Monday to get more pillows for the mask - they arrived today.

As noted above, the owner's name is Glen, but he is seldom there. Ask for Jonathan. I hope things improve.