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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 19, 2009 at 1:41pm

Rock Connor RRT, one of the superstars of this forum and one of the most professional guys in the field by my estimation, is in Atlanta, which looks to be pretty close to Acworth when i pull it up on Google Maps. I'll "page" Mr. Connor and see whether he might have some thoughts, and hey, perhaps even a new customer?!

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Permalink Reply by Rock Conner RRT on April 19, 2009 at 2:49pm

Hi Mel:

Welcome to Cobb County! I know you didn't ask for this, but Marietta Pulmonary Medicine is a great practice (http://www.mariettapulmonarymedicine.org). For O2 & ASV, see Hi-Tech healthcare (http://www.hitechcares.com/). Of course your insurance provider has alot to say about your physician & DME provider. If you run into a problem, gimme a call at 404-452-1332, or email me at rockconner@comcast.net.

Rock

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Permalink Reply by Judy on April 19, 2009 at 7:14pm

Rock Connor - and others who might want to share their e-mail addy w/someone in the forum - I suggest that you type your e-mail addy out as: rockconnor at comcast dot net so that it isn't picked up so easy by trolls and whatever else they call those PITAs. Bots, or whatever??

And Rock Connor is correct. Your local DME supplier options are governed by your insurance company - or secondary insurance if you have Medicare. So call your insurance ASAP and ask this same question of them. Hopefully Hi-Tech Healthcare is in network for you. But if not ... at least you will know which ones you have to work with and can start contacting them now.

You might also want to check w/your insurance about the status of your current Respironics Bi-PAP Auto SV. Usually, if Medicare is your primary, it is a 13 month capped rental (rent to own). They aren't going to start a 13 month rental all over again. If you return this unit you may find yourself paying the rent for the number of months you've already had it to the new supplier. It may be you will need to keep this unit and Medicare or your insurance continue to pay this current supplier. The concentrator I have no idea how they will handle that since the changes that took place the first of this year. Your 02 and supplies should be no problem w/a new supplier but there again the changes this year have me totally unsure.

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Permalink Reply by Melodie on April 20, 2009 at 1:21pm

Thanks Mike, Rock, and Judy! It is great to know that Rock will be so close!

Rock - my primary care will be through Kennesaw Family Physicians, located in Kennesaw. I used to live there before I moved back to Tennessee in 2004. My PCP and I are friends and she never took me off their books, so I'll be able to go right back in as the same "established" patient. I just have to send her my current med list and a copy of my Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance card, along with a log of all my illnesses. I cannot wait to get back to Georgia, and especially the Kennesaw/Marietta area!

Does your facility take Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance? If so, then maybe I can transfer to your practice!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please check and see if they take Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance, and give me the name, address, and phone for the office. It may be worth it for me to switch Pulmonologists, since that could easily be something I need quickly.

I do plan on keeping my pain doc in Tennessee and just drive up once a month to see him. He's ALOT better than the pain doc I had in Marietta before coming to Tennessee. Plus my parents live here and I could visit them once a month when I come to the pain doc.

Will wait to hear back from you with the Physician info for Marietta Pulmonary.

Thanks again!
Melodie (Mel)

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Permalink Reply by Rock Conner RRT on April 20, 2009 at 6:33pm

I used to have Dr. Andrews' patients on home O2 eons ago when I was with a full service DME company!

Fusion Sleep is a BCBS provider. I didn't mention that because I agree that you'll need a local pulmonologist & we have none on staff. Additionally, we don't do oxygen or any other DME other than xPAP, so if you were serviced from our practice you'd have to have yet another DME company for the O2. Who needs that? Further yet, our office is maybe 30 miles from Kennesaw. Besides, if you are not a patient of our practice, then I can just be your buddy & fellow CPAP patient, so I can talk to you more openly than if we had a professional relationship!

I still think you're better served by:

Marietta Pulmonary Medicine
55 Whitcher Street, Suite 420 (next to WellStar Kennestone Hospital)
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone Number: 770-422-1372
http://www.mariettapulmonarymedicine.org

Hi-Tech Healthcare
718 Cherokee Street (across from WellStar Kennestone Hospital)
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-792-0030
http://www.hitechcares.com

Melodie said:

Thanks Mike, Rock, and Judy! It is great to know that Rock will be so close!

Rock - my primary care will be through Kennesaw Family Physicians, located in Kennesaw. I used to live there before I moved back to Tennessee in 2004. My PCP and I are friends and she never took me off their books, so I'll be able to go right back in as the same "established" patient. I just have to send her my current med list and a copy of my Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance card, along with a log of all my illnesses. I cannot wait to get back to Georgia, and especially the Kennesaw/Marietta area!

Does your facility take Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance? If so, then maybe I can transfer to your practice!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please check and see if they take Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance, and give me the name, address, and phone for the office. It may be worth it for me to switch Pulmonologists, since that could easily be something I need quickly.

I do plan on keeping my pain doc in Tennessee and just drive up once a month to see him. He's ALOT better than the pain doc I had in Marietta before coming to Tennessee. Plus my parents live here and I could visit them once a month when I come to the pain doc.

Will wait to hear back from you with the Physician info for Marietta Pulmonary.

Thanks again!
Melodie (Mel)

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Permalink Reply by Melodie on April 20, 2009 at 6:38pm

Rock Conner RRT said:

I used to have Dr. Andrews' patients on home O2 eons ago when I was with a full service DME company!

Fusion Sleep is a BCBS provider. I didn't mention that because I agree that you'll need a local pulmonologist & we have none on staff. Additionally, we don't do oxygen or any other DME other than xPAP, so if you were serviced from our practice you'd have to have yet another DME company for the O2. Who needs that? Further yet, our office is maybe 30 miles from Kennesaw. Besides, if you are not a patient of our practice, then I can just be your buddy & fellow CPAP patient, so I can talk to you more openly than if we had a professional relationship!

I still think you're better served by:

Marietta Pulmonary Medicine
55 Whitcher Street, Suite 420 (next to WellStar Kennestone Hospital)
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone Number: 770-422-1372
http://www.mariettapulmonarymedicine.org

Hi-Tech Healthcare
718 Cherokee Street (across from WellStar Kennestone Hospital)
Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-792-0030
http://www.hitechcares.com

Melodie said:

Thanks Mike, Rock, and Judy! It is great to know that Rock will be so close!

Rock - my primary care will be through Kennesaw Family Physicians, located in Kennesaw. I used to live there before I moved back to Tennessee in 2004. My PCP and I are friends and she never took me off their books, so I'll be able to go right back in as the same "established" patient. I just have to send her my current med list and a copy of my Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance card, along with a log of all my illnesses. I cannot wait to get back to Georgia, and especially the Kennesaw/Marietta area!

Does your facility take Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance? If so, then maybe I can transfer to your practice!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please check and see if they take Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO insurance, and give me the name, address, and phone for the office. It may be worth it for me to switch Pulmonologists, since that could easily be something I need quickly.

I do plan on keeping my pain doc in Tennessee and just drive up once a month to see him. He's ALOT better than the pain doc I had in Marietta before coming to Tennessee. Plus my parents live here and I could visit them once a month when I come to the pain doc.

Will wait to hear back from you with the Physician info for Marietta Pulmonary.

Thanks again!
Melodie (Mel)

Rock,
Thanks for the info! I'll check with my primary and see who she would refer me to for a new pulmonologist in the area. I don't mind driving 30 miles - that's really nothing when you live in the greater metro Atlanta area............I cannot wait to get back! Here in Cleveland, Tennessee - nothing is more than 4-5 miles away - so I never really go very far for anything. Weird as it may sound, I actually miss the crazy traffic on I-75!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, that's really nutty!

I would be happy to be your buddy in Cobb County my friend! Maybe we could have lunch or coffee or something something after I get moved and settled in...........we will have to stay in touch.

Thanks again for the info. I'm keeping in stored for future reference.

Mel

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