RE: Apria is annoying me, but don't know how to switch
(07-03-2016, 12:16 PM)kdmorris410 Wrote: My only other choices are:
Edgepark Medical
Medline Industries
Rotech
US Medical Supply
American Home Patient (which came up as "worse than Apria and Lincare" in another site)
Anyone have any experience with any of these?
Edgepark supplies my home Coumadin test supplies (test strips and lancets). They won't buy the all-one-piece-and-disposable T-shaped lancets with a push-button that I like (so I bought some on eBay) but they reliably send me quarterly supplies of test strips and another brand of lancet (which I'm just stockpiling, for some day). But I'm on a Blue Cross HMO plan, which gives me 100% coverage on this, so I don't really have to fuss with the billing.
(07-05-2016, 04:20 PM)DariaVader Wrote: I hate to breal up such a good roll of hilarity, but yes, there are some decent DMEs. Not too sure any work with Medicare (doubt it) but when I complain about my DME it is because I have to call them on the phone vs having all the info they see just be accessible online. wah
I have even had them ship supplies to an alternate address, and then the next batch back to home address, and nary a hick-up. It is sweetened by the fact that I am 100% covered for DME, and honestly with my head screwed back on (as it was not when I first picked up my CPAP) the contract I signed with them was draconian... if I failed compliance, they would bill me $2k!!!! however they have helped with every issue that I brought to them, happily, and they issued an autoset as the standard issue even for patients whose docs ordered straight cpap. I know this is true, because they handed out machines and cleaning instructions in a group setting! That was a little unnerving - especially when it got to the financial part - but it all worked out and I own my machine and never paid a dime at this point. Care to mention the name of your DME?
RE: Apria is annoying me, but don't know how to switch
(07-07-2016, 04:37 PM)BadGoodDeb Wrote: Care to mention the name of your DME?
It's Providence. Not sure how widespread they are, possibly just PNW (Pacific Northwest)
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
- Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
- let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
- gently suck to form a light vacuum
Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه
RE: Apria is annoying me, but don't know how to switch
(07-04-2016, 01:08 PM)PaytonA Wrote: How is your "dry" heat doing, Homer. Sounds like your wife is doing well. That ia great. Take care and don't shrivel up from all that dry heat.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
Dry heat is starting to cool a little - highs around 105 and we have already had some pretty good hit and miss monsoon rain. Wife will most likely have the second eye done the beginning of August. After that heals, sleep study.
Thanks for asking.
Homer
RE: Apria is annoying me, but don't know how to switch
First, did you ever contact Aetna about coverage when Apria brought up the rental information when you got your machine? Or later? I get that when you start therapy, you are already so tired the brain doesn't work. I have nothing good to say about Apria, but they aren't always to blame. Sometimes it's the insurance company.
You are not the first person to have discovered this interesting arrangement that Aetna set up. I think you are better off cutting your losses, giving them back their machine and buying one outright at an online store. Then find out from Aetna if there are other DMEs that they work with for cpap supplies because Apria has repeatedly screwed up your account. You'd be amazed how many people here just don't bother with their insurance company on cpap or supplies - they just buy them outright.
RE: Apria is annoying me, but don't know how to switch
(07-08-2016, 03:42 PM)Mosquitobait Wrote: First, did you ever contact Aetna about coverage when Apria brought up the rental information when you got your machine? Or later? I get that when you start therapy, you are already so tired the brain doesn't work. I have nothing good to say about Apria, but they aren't always to blame. Sometimes it's the insurance company.
You are not the first person to have discovered this interesting arrangement that Aetna set up. I think you are better off cutting your losses, giving them back their machine and buying one outright at an online store. Then find out from Aetna if there are other DMEs that they work with for cpap supplies because Apria has repeatedly screwed up your account. You'd be amazed how many people here just don't bother with their insurance company on cpap or supplies - they just buy them outright.
I contacted Aetna after Apria applied the charge for the 6 month rental to my insurance. Aetna confirmed that this is what they do...so the rental is the insurance company and I didn't understand when I first started therapy (I WAS exhausted!).
It will not matter, as far as the machine is concerned, which DME I work with, so I am looking into buying a used one. I did get a list of DMEs for the supplies, because Apria keeps screwing it up... I was supposed to get my new supplies on 6/28 but when I called them yesterday, they said that there had been some sort of issue and they will go out as soon as possible. Another time, they "accidentally" switched me to every 6 months instead of every 3 months. ETC. I've had to buy several batches of pillows/masks myself because after they screw it up, they start the counter over from the time they fixed it - once they get this latest mess fixed, I'll (in theory) receive a new batch of nasal pillows 3 months from the date that they finally ship them out.
If I had understood the arrangement when I first started, I would have just bought a machine myself. I THOUGHT I understood, but it appears that I did not
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