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Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - Printable Version

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RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - Sleeprider - 09-26-2020

Get the in-network list of suppliers you can use, and make sure the equipment will be a purchase and not a rental. It's really pretty easy to avoid rentals given what your insurance requires. Make sure your supplier dispenses Resmed, and does not have an exclusive distribution agreement with Philips.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - GuyScharf - 09-26-2020

(09-26-2020, 12:30 PM)Homerec130 Wrote: My wife's doc is working with the respiratory therapist at the DME who we found out later the two of them trained together. The therapist is really good as we have worked with her several times. She s the one who questioned the settings the first sleep doc had for the machine which prompted the switch in docs.

Can you share which DME you are working with?  The one we use is little more than an order-taker, but I have never asked them for much either.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - orand - 10-01-2020

Thank you all so much for your help and experiences, particularly regarding DMEs.  I just got a call from the DME and they were trying to give me a Respironics Dreamstation, but I pushed for a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset, and they said they could do that, but the price would still be the same.

I said I wanted to do a direct purchase due to my weird insurance setup described in the first post, and they said the total cost (without the mask) would be $3,427!! That kind of blew my mind, knowing that a new AirSense 10 goes for around $600 online.  But I guess this price includes their services as a DME, trying on masks, a 2-year warranty with them, etc.??  Is this normal, or crazy?  Should I bail on a local DME and go online-only?  This is my first machine, so I’d need a fair bit of setup with trying masks, etc.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - orand - 10-01-2020

I just got another call from the DME. They tried to get my credit card so they could charge directly to it since I haven’t met my deductible yet (but I’m close). They said they’d need my credit card on file anyway even if I’d already met my deductible. I dodged and asked for an itemized sales order first so I could review it and get comfortable with what I’d be paying for, so they agreed to that.

This process is making me fairly uncomfortable. But based on what others have said on this forum, that’s unfortunately fairly common?


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - SarcasticDave94 - 10-01-2020

That's inflated robbery pricing. Say NO to that DME price! If you want to pay cash, go to Supplier #2. It will be far less than that with masks, hoses, and lots of other equipment. You will not need a cleaning machine.

PS NEVER share your Credit card number or banking info. They do not need it to process. They're SCAMMING you and are lying.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - sheepless - 10-01-2020

that's crazy! if you can't / won't use insurance, buy online. dme providers are notoriously ill informed, their services aren't worth their outrageous pricing & you can do most anything they do by other means. sometimes they're convenient but imo not nearly enough to warrant 5 times market price.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - Sleeprider - 10-01-2020

Is this DME in-network for your insurance. If so, then the price for a CPAP has already been negotiated. DMEs often have a ridiculous price for equipment, but are under contract to your insurance, to provide the equipment at the agreed price. That price is often confidential. You have to ask what YOUR price will be, and ensure that they are in-network for your insurance.

If anyone ever quoted me over $3k for a CPAP I would never talk to them again. I can buy an ASV for less. Get the in-network provider list from your insurer and call around.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - orand - 10-01-2020

So 5 times market price is somewhat normal for a DME?

Also, I just got a third call from the DME asking for my credit card number again. I said I wanted to review the itemized sales order first. So she said “That’s okay, you can call me back, I’m here for another half hour.” Seemed kind of desperate to get it today. Weird.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - sheepless - 10-01-2020

the pressure for your credit card would be enough for me to find another provider, whether local or online.


RE: Insurance doesn’t cover rent-to-own - SarcasticDave94 - 10-01-2020

Below is an image of a lake with a short dock. Tell that DME to walk off that dock.

[Image: pjkayCV.png?1]