[CPAP] Insurance / Getting first CPAP

[stanleydean]

Go ahead and get a copy of your sleep study if you haven't already. Since you already purchased a CPAP machine you probably already have the RX. Hang on to copies of both documents, you may need them in the future. I hope your experience goes well from here on out.

[PsychoMike]

IT's great that you're finally on therapy and sucks that these guys (the Durable Medical Equipment supplier, or DME) can't get it in one sock enough to deal with you in a timely manner. Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of DMEs out there for which you are an income source more than you are a patient.

As noted, with your prescription, you can pretty much get supplies from where you'd like (assuming your insurance company is cool with it) and insurance'll do their thing. Keep the prescription around and have a copy with you when you travel too....CPAPs are exempt from the carry-on rules and you can take water with you (more than the 100 ml that is mandated by security in Canada and the US) if it is for the CPAP.

Hopefully your future experiences will be better and if First Choice gets back to you before the next ice age, won't it be nice to be able to tell them to (politely) pound sand?

[rjbbjr]

Hopefully your future experiences will be better and if First Choice gets back to you before the next ice age, won't it be nice to be able to tell them to (politely) pound sand?

They actually called me about 20min before you posted that. Luckily for all involved I was on my way out the door from work and really not in the mood. They were very apologetic, but it was followed up with a "well, you can still get masks from us if you want."

[Mezzrow]

Heh, reminds me a little of my problem with Lifecare solutions. I got the OK from my insurance but I'm laid back and know things can take a couple of weeks, so waited and waited, the started making calls to the provider and was told at different times that I wasn't in their system or I was and just wait. Finally called my insurance after close to 2 months and they kept me on hold while they called the provider. Some data issue, I was kinda in their system but some info was incorrect, but the insurance worked it out (and/or resent the info) and a few hours later finally got the ball rolling.

[Mosquitobait]

Just an FYI - get a copy of your sleep study - not just the summarized report but the raw data as well. It was good that I totally ragged my brother to do that because the hospital LOST his original study from 10 years ago, but I had the copy! They needed that to compare with his current lung function.