DME story

[nicholb]

For me I have HSA and have met my deductible for the year. If I purchase this year I get 80/20 coverage. That is the main reason I am making sure the purchase happens this year.

There is also the whole 13 month rental for $2600 instead of purchase for $1900.

[Sleeprider]

hmm...maybe I should double check with my insurance.   I called my insurance before the DME got my prescription and they told me I could purchase or rent and it would be covered.  They said there was no minimum rental limit or anything.

When I asked Apria (DME) about how it was going to be billed, they told me 10 month rental and then they would purchase it.    Maybe I should still rent it for a month or two, and then see if I can purchase it earlier?  or should I just push them for purchasing it during the first visit.  I have my appt to pickup the equipment from Apria in a week or so.

The DME makes more money if they issue as rental.  As mentioned above, some rentals run 13 months and put people into a new deductible period, so they get much less coverage and more out-of-pocket.  If you are 100% covered, this makes little difference, but if you have copay and deductible, insist on purchase if it is authorized.  It is not unusual for a machine to cost more with insurance than buying outright on Amazon.

[mogulman]

I talked to my insurance again. This time they confirmed that 10 month rental is required before purchase.

This changes things a little bit for me. I was going to wait until Sept to get my machine, because my out of pocket for the year would be used up then, so the machine would be completely covered. Our insurance renews on 7/1 of each year though.

So If I wait until Sept, then June will be my 10th month start and I'll have to purchase in July, which would be out of the question. Basically full price, I'm assuming?

If I get the CPAP next week, I'll have to pay the deductable (they told me $200), but then the 10th month start will be May (ending in June) and theoretically, I could purchase the device at the end of June. I think.

Anyone else rented and purchased an know how it worked out?

I'm assuming the rental month/fee starts the day I pickup the device. I'm also assuming the purchase would happen 30 days after the start of the last rental month (10 months/May) for me.