Which are the "good" DME suppliers?

[kimgh]

I've had my machine for about 4 years, and have been tied to Apria for that entire time. While I don't have any particular horror stories about Apria, I also have been less than impressed with their competence. The latest mess is that they seem unable to correctly file claims with my Medicare Advantage Plan provider.

So: who is better? I checked with my insurance provider and found out they will work with LifeWatch and Novasom, neither of whom I've ever heard of. But of course, I'd never heard of Apria until I needed a CPAP machine.

Does anyone have experience with either of these DME providers that they would like to share? If it looks like it's worth switching, I think I would like to switch.

Thanks.

[Mosquitobait]

Consider calling back your insurance company and asking them if you bought your machine at an online retailer, would they cover it out of network? Way less hassle.

I can't help you on these providers. Don't know a thing about them.

[lmoretti]

If Lifewatch is Lifewatch, Inc of New York:

There looks to currently be an open investigation into their business practices by the Florida Attorney General for deceptive business practices (related to robocalling elderly for medical alert systems). There are lots of one-star reviews on Yelp.

Can't find anything on NovaSom as a DME, just as sleep study provider.

[OpalRose]

I've had my machine for about 4 years, and have been tied to Apria for that entire time. While I don't have any particular horror stories about Apria, I also have been less than impressed with their competence. The latest mess is that they seem unable to correctly file claims with my Medicare Advantage Plan provider.

So: who is better? I checked with my insurance provider and found out they will work with LifeWatch and Novasom, neither of whom I've ever heard of. But of course, I'd never heard of Apria until I needed a CPAP machine.

Does anyone have experience with either of these DME providers that they would like to share? If it looks like it's worth switching, I think I would like to switch.

Thanks.

Hi kimgh,
Unless you want to pay out of pocket, you are pretty much stuck with whomever your insurance has a contract with. Never heard of the two you listed, and it depends on where you live what is available to you.

Apria is well known, but not in a good way.

As Mosquitobait suggested, call your insurance and see if they cover out of network, which is what online retailers would be.

I have Medicare advantage, and they do cover online retailers as out of network, but it is up to me to submit all the paperwork, and I am not reimbursed as much as using a participating provider that insurance contracts with.

It all depends on what you are willing to put up with.