Medicare and Medicaid-who picks CPAP

[me50]

A lot depend on the doc and insurance. I have a Medicare Advantage policy. The original doc perspiction specified a F&P Icon. When I went in for my one-moth review I told the Nurse Practitioner that I didn't like the Icon menu and asked if I could switch to the S9. She wrote a note to the DME and they swapped machine. Unfortunately, it appears that not all cpap patients receive that kinds of cooperation from providers.

Medicare advantage is not the same as having Medicaid which pays first and straight medicare. Each state has their own Medicaid rules and I don't know anything about what they are today and I don't know what they are for each state. Since Medicaid pays first (and I would hope they would follow Medicare guidelines if for no other reason than to simplify things), I would think the best place to start would be to check with their requirements/procedures.

[Lukie]

your doctor writes the prescription but you can choose which brand you want. I had the DME try to give me a Philips but I insisted on the ResMed S9 autoset. When they said they only deal in Philips I told them to forget it I would go online and they said wait a minute we can get you one from our other store. Thank you very much! YOU just need to be assertive. Medicare will pay the same no matter what the machine.

[Franklyspeaking]

your doctor writes the prescription but you can choose which brand you want. I had the DME try to give me a Philips but I insisted on the ResMed S9 autoset. When they said they only deal in Philips I told them to forget it I would go online and they said wait a minute we can get you one from our other store. Thank you very much! YOU just need to be assertive. Medicare will pay the same no matter what the machine.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and valued information. My mom goes for sleep study on March 5th. So we will see how it all goes down.