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Permalink Reply by Dan Lyons on October 9, 2009 at 9:41pm

Jan,
As with anything, there is good, bad and indifferent. DME's are no different.

Arming yourself with knowledge is but one of the steps you need to take.

You need to have in your hands a copy of your sleep study and your "generic" script. Do not let your physician pin you to a specific machine and/ or mask. It should read something similar to " *PAP device and mask of the patient's choosing."

MAKE COPIES OF THESE ITEMS - NO EXCEPTIONS !!!!! You will need them time and time again. Armed with these 2 items, you can shop around for the source of your liking. (You are entitled to them by law.)

Also remember you are the customer. Make them serve you. Ask questions - everything you can think of. Read every piece of paper they push in front of you and read it completely.

Make them teach you everything.

Always remember they could care less about you - but they love your insurance card and your wallet. Eliminate those two items and see how long they care about you.

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Permalink Reply by Judy on October 9, 2009 at 10:12pm

There ARE good local DME suppliers out there. Keep in mind those of us who take part in these apnea support forums are a minority of the many OSA patients and xPAP users out there. Probably a majority of us found our way to these forums BECAUSE we weren't getting the answers or the support, education, advice, etc. from our providers and doctors. MANY OSA patients and xPAP users ARE getting the support, education, etc. from their providers - and others are just plain lost or meekly compliant or walk away from xPAP therapy. Whatever the mixture, we on these forums are still a vast minority of the total.

Your insurance company is going to govern your choices of local DME suppliers to those they are contracted with. It is worth your while to call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP suppliers they are contracted with. That will save you some time and narrow your search for a good one as then you can shop just your options.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on October 11, 2009 at 5:14pm

Personally if I thought the people helping me with my healthcare needs only cared about my insurance card i would find someone else. Just my opinion. Alot of us in healthcare do really care about our patients.

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Permalink Reply by Jan on October 11, 2009 at 5:48pm

I have always felt that way Rock...that there is good and bad in everything-- and I have always liked to believe that it's mostly good with a few bad ones spoiling it for all. But honestly, as a newbie to this-- (and I don't yet have my prescription), I have never seen as much agitation and so many warnings issued about a service provider as I have with about the DME's related to sleep apnea equipment. And, as you are all painfully aware, this is not just a thread on Sleepguide-- but every other place I have been scouring for information. I honestly feel that I need to arm up for a battle at a time when I am feeling not so great to begin with.

But, I have taken great notes and hoping to benefit from all of the experience you are all sharing so generously.

Thanks!

Jan



Rock Hinkle said:

Personally if I thought the people helping me with my healthcare needs only cared about my insurance card i would find someone else. Just my opinion. Alot of us in healthcare do really care about our patients.

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Permalink Reply by Rock Conner RRT on October 11, 2009 at 5:49pm

Hi Jan:

Your experience may not be bad at all. Remeber that only the worst tales make their way into these discussions. There are decent & honorable DME outfits in the market, & I hope you end up w/ one.

I would like to caution you that some DMEs forget that folks who sleep with their products are customers, also. As a rule, one's customer is the one who decides whether one's company get discretionary business. DMEs have customers all over the place. Health insurance companies are customers. Referral sources are customers, in this case physicians & sleep labs. Sometimes PAP users have to remind DMEs that they, too, are customers. Keep that in mind if it seems like you are being shuffled down in importance by your DME provider.

Rock

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on October 11, 2009 at 6:03pm

As patients we typically go into the majority of our health problems almost blind. i believe that the majority of us avoid health related education and or the doctor for as long as we possibly can. We are all scared of the inevitable. then when our health needs become immediate we panic and expect everything to be done right now. As bad as the system may be this is not always the best attitude to go in with. Be patient, persistant and remember that everyone involved is human. treat them as such and things will work themselves out in the end. Your vigilance in educating yourself ahead of time has already sealed the fate of your story as a success. Good luck Jan. We will be here to walk you through it.

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Permalink Reply by Jerri Lynn on October 11, 2009 at 7:24pm

I've selected a DME and received approval from my insurance carrier. The DME tells me it could take them up to 2 weeks before they can make an appointment because they only have two RT's. Is this normal? I'm concerned......I don't want to get started with someone who is going to take WEEKS to assist me with any concerns I may have.

What are reasonable expectations?

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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on October 11, 2009 at 7:56pm

Whoops, Jan!! If I'd read a little further I'd have seen that Judy already said the same thing as I. I agree with her.

But, even if we are in the minority, we're in an increasingly active and empowered minority!!! SG ROCKS!, and so does every patient and pro on here!! (my totally unbiased opinion!)

Susan McCord :-)

Judy said:

There ARE good local DME suppliers out there. Keep in mind those of us who take part in these apnea support forums are a minority of the many OSA patients and xPAP users out there. Probably a majority of us found our way to these forums BECAUSE we weren't getting the answers or the support, education, advice, etc. from our providers and doctors. MANY OSA patients and xPAP users ARE getting the support, education, etc. from their providers - and others are just plain lost or meekly compliant or walk away from xPAP therapy. Whatever the mixture, we on these forums are still a vast minority of the total.

Your insurance company is going to govern your choices of local DME suppliers to those they are contracted with. It is worth your while to call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP suppliers they are contracted with. That will save you some time and narrow your search for a good one as then you can shop just your options.

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Permalink Reply by 99 on October 11, 2009 at 10:31pm

Document everything including the person you spoke to and try and insist on speaking to same person all the time as tthahey try to give you the runaround this works as they try to fob you off for one of thier colleages just to get relife from you do not give them that relife get on their backs but be super pleasant (that is hard as they do not deserve it) play them at their own game,

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