Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Equipment] How to buy DME
#1
How to buy DME
Happy Resmed 10 user for 3 years.

When I picked up my first machine back then, I was surprised that my doctor (at a major urban hospital sleep clinic) allowed a DME vendor (themselves or Norco perhaps?)  to sit in the office and sell me DME. Is that allowed?

Regardless, I seem to have muddled through getting supplies (hose, air filters, nasal pillows), sometimes through them or Norco, other times just spending my own money.

I don't get new stuff very often (as per discussions I've seen here...) Sometimes I buy online. Other times I've used Norco.

Recently Norco (after they wore me down by robo-dialing me monthly for six months) walked me through buying a chinstrap, headgear, pillows, etc. 

The products arrived.  I'm happy.

But, I can't figure out who paid for them!  My Medicare Part B Summary Notice lists them with the (inflated) $271 vendor charge. But, they flag the items as not approved and that the "Maximum You May Be Billed" is $0.00.

I'm pretty sure I hadn't bought any DME for at least six months, so I doubt I bought "too early" for them to be covered by Medicare.

My Medigap (Regence) doesn't seem to know anything about DME (maybe a bill is still weaving its way through their system?)

So, what's going on here? Did Norco mess up somehow, causing Medicare to refuse to pay?  Can Norco bill me (they haven't...)  if Medicare says "Maximum Amount I can be billed" is 0?

Is there an FAQ or threads here (I couldn't find any) that discuss various strategies for buying DME?

Because it's only $100 a year or so, it's tempting just to skip the insurance BS and buy it with my own money at Supplier #1 as I did yesterday.    I'm not a bargain hunter. I just don't need the hassle of bureaucracy.  (Does that mean they won?!) Sad  Maybe I'll submit a claim to whomever, but if it takes more then 10 minutes, it's just not worth the hassle to me given my schedule.

Tom

PS How do you, oh members, buy your DME?





-----
Moderator Action: Link Removed

To maintain our status as an educational organization, the only commercial links allowed in this forum are to CPAP-related manufacturer websites.  This is stated in the Apnea Board Rules with details given in the Commercial Links Policy section.

-----
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: How to buy DME
My supplier of DME keeps me apprised of when I'm due new equipment. They have been good about that. I also opted that they have to notify me PRIOR to them shipping me any new equipment, so that I can approve the order. 

I pick & choose what I want sent. I have very good insurance and they pay about 80% or so of the cost of the supplies. I only have one more payment of $9.09 for the 13 month lease period. After that, no more payments.  Big Grin

Occasionally, I will see something on EBAY that is cheaper than what I can get it from my DME supplier for. I've bought a couple of CPAP items that way.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: How to buy DME
You are using Medicare and perhaps Medicare Advantage. Is Norco a Medicare approved provider? I think they are, but you can enter the following search terms in Google and see more "Norco Seattle Medicare". I think the best thing to do is to call Norco and ask them to interpret your invoice. The Medicare system is confusing and all I know is that I have not had to pay for DME supplies like masks, tubing, cushions and filters. Results vary a lot!
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: How to buy DME
I've used NORCO for oxygen service since early 2018 and XPAP equipment and supplies since January. Service and billing has been generally good. NORCO is an approved provider under a number of regional and nationwide DME providers. I get detailed billing statements from both NORCO and my Medicare Advantage (insurance) provider.

It is not normal for a DME provider to sit in the doctor's office and sell equipment, although it's certainly legal. You have the right to use any insurance-approved provider of your choice.

When my sleep doctor was writing the script for my replacement machine, she asked who would be providing the equipment, as both the script and a copy of my sleep study would be provided.

NORCO only furnishes supplies when I request them. Al items were zero-hour original equipment manufacturer.l
Post Reply Post Reply



New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.