So I called Apria LAST Monday to make sure they'd gotten the prescriptions transferred from the non PPO DME I'd previously used for O2.  My doctor had also sent the other DME the scrip for CPAP machine and mask.  And the Apria rep told me they had the scrip for CPAP, but the other DME hadn't sent the scrip for the O2.

All last week was spent getting that straightened out - they couldn't take the O2 scrip from the other DME, had to get it directly from my doctor, blah blah blah.

So today I call to find out when I might get the O2 delivered.  Oh, tomorrow.  Gee, was anyone going to call me in advance, because I was planning to be gone all day?  Seems they can't even call me until the day of delivery to give me a window.

And what's the status on the CPAP order?  And the answer - WHAT CPAP order?  I dunno, the one your rep volunteered last MONDAY that they already HAD.  So now we have to start over again with my doctor's office.  

Fume


_________________
Marie
Newbie with Severe OSA
ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP with EPR and H4i humidifier
ResMed Mirage Quattro full face mask
Contec CMS 50-E Pulse Oximeter

mreewh wrote:

So I called Apria LAST Monday to make sure they'd gotten the prescriptions transferred from the non PPO DME I'd previously used for O2.  My doctor had also sent the other DME the scrip for CPAP machine and mask.  And the Apria rep told me they had the scrip for CPAP, but the other DME hadn't sent the scrip for the O2.

All last week was spent getting that straightened out - they couldn't take the O2 scrip from the other DME, had to get it directly from my doctor, blah blah blah.

So today I call to find out when I might get the O2 delivered.  Oh, tomorrow.  Gee, was anyone going to call me in advance, because I was planning to be gone all day?  Seems they can't even call me until the day of delivery to give me a window.

And what's the status on the CPAP order?  And the answer - WHAT CPAP order?  I dunno, the one your rep volunteered last MONDAY that they already HAD.  So now we have to start over again with my doctor's office.  

Fume

Sounds like your dealing with the Keystone Cops instead of a DME.

CatJ

I don't think I've ever heard anything good about Apria...

I was very pleased with my local branch. Just wish they were closer. I got a great machine for a great price. And he was very helpful. I had heard negative too. So far so good for me.

DO NOT PUT UP WITH these horsepuckies!! Ask to speak to the manager. And if you get no satisfaction w/the manager of this branch go over his head to the division manager wherever that may be! There ARE good Apria offices out there - not too many from what you read in these forums but occasionally someone will post who has a good Apria branch office.

Its unbelievable that Apria would mess around so much w/oxygen needs. That is almost unbelievable. Keep in mind YOU are paying for this. Makes no difference whether out of pocket or thru insurance YOU are still the one paying THEM. It is YOUR health and YOUR therapy. Be sure your sleep doctor and your pulmonologist are aware of how shoddily you are being treated by this Apria branch. The branch AND division manager NEEDS to be aware of how badly your situation is being handled. And stay on top of your scripting doctor too just to be sure that his office isn't contributing to this tangled mess. But most of all you NEED to MAKE SURE that your INSURANCE company knows how badly this Apria branch is mishandling your needs - ESPECIALLY since you need 02 as well as xPAP.

The only way these businesses get away w/treating customers so shabbily is because "we" let them get away w/it w/o making it known to those higher up just how badly their customers are treated.


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

CrohnieToo wrote:

DO NOT PUT UP WITH these horsepuckies!!

Don't worry, they're already getting to know my name .  I'm no shrinking violet, but living here where the unofficial city motto is "carpe manana" I'm walking the line.

The rep I spoke with did call me back today - as she promised - and let me know that my doctor's office had faxed over the O2 scrip again, and not the CPAP scrip.  She left another message for them and promised to call me back tomorrow and let me know if they get it, or not.

Unfortunately I do think there's an issue with my doctor's office as well.  He's just my GP.  I like him as a doc, but his office staff isn't 100%.  But I prefer him to the "sleep doctor", whom I've seen once for an unrelated neuro problem, and quite arrogant and even harder to schedule than my GP.

If the O2 concentrator isn't here tomorrow, and the initial CPAP appointment not scheduled for this week, I will be escalating.


_________________
Marie
Newbie with Severe OSA
ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP with EPR and H4i humidifier
ResMed Mirage Quattro full face mask
Contec CMS 50-E Pulse Oximeter

Ah, yes. Those wonderful (NOT) "desk dragons". I had to leave the care of one doctor I liked quite well BECAUSE his "desk dragons" were just so bad about relaying messages or if they did relay them getting them right, etc. They were HORRIBLE! I spoke to him about it, but one was his mother-in-law, another was his sister-in-law ..... the rest of the gals were fine - BUT - those two ruled the roost. So I left and let him know that while I was pleased w/his care, some of his staff were just plain unbearble and incompetent.  Good luck!!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

Everything bad I've heard about Apria seems to be true so far.  The right and the left hand have no idea what the other is doing.

Turns out someone at Apria DID have my scrip for a week and a half, and "they don't know why it got lost".  And I spent an hour and a half going to my doctor's office to get a replacement scrip that someone at Apria told me would be adequate, stating "CPAP with Cflex or equivalent", only then to be told that it would have to specifically state the machine I want.

After calling today and being told they still hadn't been able to get the information they said they needed from my doctor, I went ballistic and asked to speak to the supervisor.  Thanks to the information I'd gotten here, especially from ChronieToo, I was able to call the supervisor's bluff and tell her I knew that the scrip did not have to specify the machine (either for medical/legal reasons or for my insurance), that it was all the same billing code, and that I knew that this was the way the game was played to get me to take the cheapest machine possible.

I also told her that I was getting pretty pissed, that I've been diagnosed with severe OSA and Apria was delaying me getting treatment.  She gave me some song and dance about how the basic machine would treat my apnea, and I said, well I selected the machine I've requested because it's the quietest available, I have trouble sleeping with noise, and I selected the machine I did because I WANT to not just get a machine but to be COMPLIANT.

Lo and behold the local office called - the machine I want will now be ordered today and my mask fitting / dispensing appointment is scheduled for Tuesday.


_________________
Marie
Newbie with Severe OSA
ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP with EPR and H4i humidifier
ResMed Mirage Quattro full face mask
Contec CMS 50-E Pulse Oximeter

Right on, Marie!!! Way to go, gal!!! We are PROUD of you!!


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

How long does it take for the DME provider to fill the prescription for a CPAP machine? I faxed it to Apria on Wednesday and called to confirm that they had received it, which they did and that they would call me when it was ready. It is now friday and I have not heard from them. My insurance information was on the prescription. I had already asked my insurance what my coverage is for a CPAP. They replied that it is covered and all I had to do is pay the deductible. So it's not an insurance problem. The Doctor prescribed a Resmed S8 Escape II. Is this CPAP not readily available? I getting frustrated

You don't want the Escape II anyway. And shame on your doctor if he actually did specify that particular model!!!! I would REFUSE the Escape II, INSIST on the Resmed S8 Elite II w/EPR and fire that sleep doctor.

The Escape and Escape II are capable of providing compliance data only. Any doctor who would deliberately order a compliance data only CPAP for their patients is a jerk and not worth diddley-squat as a sleep doctor regardless of his credentialing.

The Resmed S8 Elite II w/CPAP is fully data capable. If you are stuck w/an incompetent sleep doctor who has absolutely no interest in data from a fully data capable CPAP and whose only interest is compliance data YOU will NEED that data from an Elite II to see to it yourself that you get good therapy. You'll be lucky to get even adequate therapy w/a sleep doctor who would specifically order a compliance data only CPAP for his patients.


_________________
Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity mask, ResScan 3.7, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.

I got my machine and mask today

The tech who dispensed them was totally cool.  He immediately recognized that I was one of those patients who'd done their homework and he knew why I wanted my machine.  He told me I was one of only two patients he's ever seen there who did their homework in advance.  The other person is the CEO of the hospital where I had my sleep test.

I did a baseline PulseOx study last night when I was on the O2.   Overall I haven't had a lot of apneas or hypopneas on the O2 when I've checked - not sure why that would be the case.  For example, one night I never got below 92% O2 (and we're at 7200 feet elevation).  My blood pressure has come way back down.  But I've suspected it was still cropping up frequently based on how exhausted I still am most days.  Well, last night I had several really scary desats, down into the 70s, and I am motivated to get started with my CPAP!


_________________
Marie
Newbie with Severe OSA
ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP with EPR and H4i humidifier
ResMed Mirage Quattro full face mask
Contec CMS 50-E Pulse Oximeter

I just wanted to say that I first got with a DME that only wanted to give me a "basic" machine...I gave them a chance to get me what i wanted and they are dragging their feet! Sooo I called yesterday to the other one that is in my network and they seem totally cool! The guy i talked to understood what i want and why i wanted it and totally agreed with me on that is what i need! I have an appt today to get my new CPAP, and am getting ready to go return my surrent one to the DME that i was using! Hopefully they don't give me any !@#! as i am not a happy camper and have no qualms about telling them where to stick it! LoL

Quote:

The Doctor prescribed a Resmed S8 Escape II. Is this CPAP not readily available? I getting frustrated

I bought an Escape II at the CPAP auction to use in my vacation home.  It was the worst.  It was noisy and I didn't feel it was effective.  I ended up getting a second ResMed S8 Elite.  Don't settle for an Escape.


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ResMed S8 Elite, F&P Flexifit 406, Optilife
AHI 54/hr, Pressure 10, desat. 73