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Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
#11
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
(09-12-2014, 01:15 PM)Paralel Wrote:
(09-12-2014, 09:51 AM)Galactus Wrote: ...My wife has the answer for this situation by the way, it is far easier than arguing, go to any store by a prepaid V/MC card for $25 spend $23 of it then keep it in your wallet. Any time someone wants a CC# and you don't want them to have one you give them that card. They stop annoying you, and they can never charge you, win/win.

I would be extremely careful with this. Many of these prepaid cards now charge an "insufficient funds" fee that will drop you into a negative balance (it's usually quite significant, $10-15) and you will get a notice about correcting the negative amount, and if you don't, they can and will attack your credit report

Having read the terms for such cards, I agree with Paralel.
The agreement is one-sided; and the stuckee is the card holder.
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#12
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
Thanks to everybody who replied. I am feeling better already. I talked to my sleep doctor who recommended a good medical supply company. I contacted them this morning; and they told me what I need to do to,switch. Then I called my health insurance company and actually got a nice person. (Unusual surprise!) The insurance company rep. issued an urgent authorization to switch to the new company; and they are sending a respiratory therapist to my home at 2pm today. He will bring the machine etc. etc.
I am super impressed with the nice people I spoke to on the phone with the new company and even the health insurance company. (Who would guess that things seem to be working out?)
Hopefully I can sleep tonight with a new machine and a working heated humidifier and tube.

Last night I was miserable with my broken (no humidifier) and my stuffed nose and sinus infection.

I can't wait to go to bed tonight. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Kimberly from HonoluluSleep-well
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#13
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
(09-12-2014, 04:37 PM)kfujioka Wrote: Thanks to everybody who replied. I am feeling better already. I talked to my sleep doctor who recommended a good medical supply company. I contacted them this morning; and they told me what I need to do to,switch. Then I called my health insurance company and actually got a nice person. (Unusual surprise!) The insurance company rep. issued an urgent authorization to switch to the new company; and they are sending a respiratory therapist to my home at 2pm today. He will bring the machine etc. etc.
I am super impressed with the nice people I spoke to on the phone with the new company and even the health insurance company. (Who would guess that things seem to be working out?)
Hopefully I can sleep tonight with a new machine and a working heated humidifier and tube.

Last night I was miserable with my broken (no humidifier) and my stuffed nose and sinus infection.

I can't wait to go to bed tonight. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Hi kfujioka,
Good job.!
It great to hear that you finally got some good results.
Hopefully, things will go better from here on out with the new DME.
SLEEP WELL.!
trish6hundred
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#14
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
(09-12-2014, 01:15 PM)Paralel Wrote:
(09-12-2014, 09:51 AM)Galactus Wrote: ...My wife has the answer for this situation by the way, it is far easier than arguing, go to any store by a prepaid V/MC card for $25 spend $23 of it then keep it in your wallet. Any time someone wants a CC# and you don't want them to have one you give them that card. They stop annoying you, and they can never charge you, win/win.

I would be extremely careful with this. Many of these prepaid cards now charge an "insufficient funds" fee that will drop you into a negative balance (it's usually quite significant, $10-15) and you will get a notice about correcting the negative amount, and if you don't, they can and will attack your credit report

You are speaking of the "real cards" like the one's issued by "money centers" that allow for check deposits and refills and deposits etc. I am speaking solely of the Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards. There is no sign up, no registration, no information at all. You buy them, you use them, they go in the garbage. There is no one to charge if the balance is not sufficient and the charge will not go through. There is no ones credit or credit report to go after as there is no owner of the card. Just make sure you get one that doesn't charge any fees after the first use and no monthly service charges as that will reduce the balance to $0 faster, and get one with a long expiration date as you want to keep it as long as possible. There is zero risk in this method, as there is no one at all liable for the card and the charge will never go through, and they will not bill it back, as there is no overdraft or anything else. We have been doing this now over 12 years now and we have never had an issue. And just remember, spend it all down to $1 or $2 before you give it out to anyone, and that will be all that is left.

Happy to hear you found a good dme too, as that was the point!
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#15
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
(09-12-2014, 10:20 PM)Galactus Wrote: You are speaking of the "real cards" like the one's issued by "money centers" that allow for check deposits and refills and deposits etc. I am speaking solely of the Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards. There is no sign up, no registration, no information at all. You buy them, you use them, they go in the garbage. There is no one to charge if the balance is not sufficient and the charge will not go through. There is no ones credit or credit report to go after as there is no owner of the card. Just make sure you get one that doesn't charge any fees after the first use and no monthly service charges as that will reduce the balance to $0 faster, and get one with a long expiration date as you want to keep it as long as possible. There is zero risk in this method, as there is no one at all liable for the card and the charge will never go through, and they will not bill it back, as there is no overdraft or anything else. We have been doing this now over 12 years now and we have never had an issue. And just remember, spend it all down to $1 or $2 before you give it out to anyone, and that will be all that is left.

Happy to hear you found a good dme too, as that was the point!

Read the terms very carefully. They're getting more and more deceptive about such cards. They're also giving you a card, but it's very limited until you sign up, give them social security number, and they mail a new card to your house.

i.e. Big Brother/Big Business is watching you.

Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#16
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
BTW, always follow the procedures and file a formal, written protest to the credit card company of all fraudulent credit card charges.

The banks track these and will fine a merchant if they have too many complaints.

Getting your card reissued may not work either. If you get the card number changed, the credit card company may still let the charge go through with the old number if the merchant had charges on the old card number.

By the way, they can do the same thing with checks. They usually have an agreement to convert the check in to an electronic debit, and most banks will let these go through. You can't even tell the bank to not accept electronic debits from company X. You have to call the bank and fight it afterwards.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#17
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
Several weeks ago I called to see if I could a replacement machine because mine was malfunctioning. They said they'd have to check my insurance. Then they called and said it would cost me $2000. So I bought one on craigslist instead. Then the other day the DME calls me, asks if I still need a machine, and tells me it'll cost $500.

They act like idiots, and they sound like idiots. But don't let that fool you, they really are idiots.
Sleepster

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.
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#18
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
Believe me I fully understand the whole big brother thing. It is important to get the right card. These are just like the xmas gift cards, there is no registration or signup needed (not that you can't do it, you could, but it is not needed). You pay for the card in cash ($25), you leave with it and you use it anywhere V/MC is accepted. That's that, when it's $0 you toss it in the garbage. Till then, don't register it, don't sign up for anything, you are free and clear to use it anywhere you like, if there isn't enough funds the card will decline.

Most definitely be careful though and get a correct card and do not sign up for anything. Big Brother is watching.
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#19
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
(09-12-2014, 11:25 PM)Sleepster Wrote: They act like idiots, and they sound like idiots. But don't let that fool you, they really are idiots.

OMG I read that and laughed so hard I think I almost went in my pants Dielaughing
If everyone thinks alike, then someone isn't thinking.
Everyone knows something, together we could know everything.
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#20
RE: Dealing with a dishonest Healthcare provider
Wow, I think the problem is that not enough crooked DME's get tossed into jail.
...

"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Cool
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