Ok nowI am PISSED!

[COLLEEN S]

I just got off the phone with QAS and Philips. QAS gave me a cash quote for 2 diff. INR machines , one quote cash the other thru insurance. Philips however; told me they cant give me a quote. After a 10 full minute convo, the receptionist told me $1500 cash but she would have to refer me to cust. service for the insurance quote. I talked to the CSR at Philips and she said 3 times, "we have to have you fill out the proper paperwork and then we will give you a quote." In other words, fill out the paperwork and then we will already have you by the balls so you HAVE to buy this from us. QAS is getting my business. I told the CSR "QAS will be getting my business because they are easier to deal with." She said, "who IS QAS?" Dumba**
Fed up, but I rise above.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

Could be they have certain rates with certain insurance companies and the person you were talking to doesn't know them? Isn't Phillips the one that does rental units with some plans?

 

[Tbone]

Have you tried the internet?

 

[COLLEEN S]

Im getting a machine. It's not that. It's the ignorance and the fact that they want you to give over all your info b4 they give you a price. That way , they have you where they want you. No I said earlier in the post I will be dealing with QAS.

 

[catwoman]

Colleen:

When I got my first one from QAS in 2003, I thought it would be covered at 100%, but wasn't sure. I faxed paperwork to QAS and a week or two later, got a call that it would be covered, and what my co-pay would be AT THE MOST (I think it was 10% figure). As it turned out, it was covered 100%.

I can see why a vendor would want to get insurance info before giving a flat quote. Different insurance policies have different % provisions -- heck, some don't cover purchase but rental instead. I would rather know exactly what it would cost going through insurance than ASS-U-ME-ing what it would cost and my bank account being very upset.

Could be they have certain rates with certain insurance companies and the person you were talking to doesn't know them? Isn't Phillips the one that does rental units with some plans?

Lisa:

Yes, I think that's right. Phillips (used to be Raytel) does mostly rentals.

 

[COLLEEN S]

I already know what my DME copay is. What does that have to do with them quoting me a price? It has to do with them not wanting to tell me until they have all my info and then hitting me with a 100% markup and then them banking on me saying'ohwell, they already have my paperwork so I will go thru them. Not this chick.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

If you have a DME copay, what they charge is irrelevant. Perhaps you mean DME coinsurance? Copay is a flat rate. Coinsurance is a %.

QAS and Phillips are both good companies, so either way you will be okay. My guess is that Phillips is just a little more careful about giving out info over the phone, especially since they have rental agreements with many companies, including mine - United Healthcare. I remember talking to a company way back when that told me it would be $x if I used my insurance and that they were contracted with "most" insurance companies. Lucky for me I knew that having a contract doesn't mean anything unless it is a covered service under my plan, which it wasn't. At that time, very few plans had home monitors as a covered service.

I'm not sure why you think that giving them the paperwork would tie you into anything unless they make you sign something that says you will buy it from them. However, as I said before, you aren't messing up by going with QAS, but be careful. Your insurance company could say that the price they charge is above reasonable and customary and you'll be responsible for the rest.

 

[catwoman]

I'm not sure why you think that giving them the paperwork would tie you into anything unless they make you sign something that says you will buy it from them. However, as I said before, you aren't messing up by going with QAS, but be careful. Your insurance company could say that the price they charge is above reasonable and customary and you'll be responsible for the rest.

I agree with Lisa. A provider company can't make you buy something you don't already have in your possession or haven't signed to buy.

My DME co-insurance is 80% -- that's not a straight 80%, but 80% of the ol' usual and customary charge. With some insurance companies, it's a straight percentage, but not with Aeta. You have to read the very fine print, which I didn't do until I had submitted my claim.
When I paid out of pocket for my INRatio last year, I learned that the 80% was more like 60%. I thought I would get back $1200+ of the $1600something I paid; instead, I got back $981, about 60%.
I bought the INRatio through QAS. Had I bought it from QAS with QAS filing on my insurance, I'm sure I would have paid more than the $700something I did pay when all was said and done.

According to the benefits booklet I have, Aetna prefers to rent DME in most cases.

 

[Eva]

I already know what my DME copay is. What does that have to do with them quoting me a price? It has to do with them not wanting to tell me until they have all my info and then hitting me with a 100% markup and then them banking on me saying'ohwell, they already have my paperwork so I will go thru them. Not this chick.

Colleen, I got my meter from QAS after I received approval from my insurance to buy it from Phillips. Phillips were OK...polite and courteous and filled out all the forms through my cardio, but when I realized at the very end the machine would be rented to me, and I had to pay upfront the beginning of July $1200, I backed off and informed the insurance that i changed my mind about Phillips!! so, they cannot hold you by the b**** if they get your info.

When I ordered it through QAS and my insurance approved it, they called me to make sure which company I wanted to deal with before changing my mind again

If I am starting this all over again trying to buy a machine, I would like to ask Phillips since Phillips rents their machines out:

1- if in case I do not like the machine they rented to me, can it exchanged by another machine?
2- without any hassle?
3- can I change my mind next year and buy my own from QAS or another? or
4- will I be bound to stay with them? and for how long?

I wish I asked those questions and if OK I could have tried the Coagucheck XS and the INR Ratio and would have bought the one I like more next year.

All this may not be feasible, but a wishful thinking.

 

[COLLEEN S]

Thanks for all your responses. Some of you were saying you werent sure why I thought I would be obligated to a certain company. I don't feel obligated, its just that they (the companies) figure that joe average will not want to go thru all the paperwork all over again with another company, and since you've already filled it all out, that you will throw hands in the air and say yeah ok, order me one. Im just saying that I wont do that. Obligated...not me.

 

[ChouDoufu]

have you tried online pharmacies?

a quick search (GOOGLE: "online pharmacy +INR") shows this one in australia
http://www.chemistaustralia.com.au/...em-complete-coaguchek-bundle-inr-testing.html

Coaguchek XS INR Monitoring System - Complete Coaguchek Bundle - INR Testing $949.90
***AND THAT'S AU DOLLARS, works out to US$677***

Coaguchek XS INR complete kit - which includes everything to get you started for INR testing

The following components are included in this Coaguchek bundle:

- CoaguChek XS meter for INR TESTING
- 4 x AAA batteries
- Coaguchek Carry case, which allows the patient to keep all items need in their proper
place for easy use and convenience.
- 1x Box of 24 Coaguchek Test Strips (worth $149)
- 1x Box of 50 Coaguchek Softclix lancets. (worth $10)
- Coaguchek manuals needed to get you started
- Coaguchek Starter CD for INR testing

 

[Ross]

While anyone is certainly able to choose where they purchase from, we at VR do not promote going through any other sources other then those authorized by ITC, Roche or Hemosense. No, it's not a CYA thing. It's more for your own protection from scammers.

 

[westie]

crap

crap

.
sorry, but i just do not know how all you guys in the states put up with all this co- pay, co insurance, permission, qas, red tape crap! and as for this racket where you "allowed" to buy a home tester from your medical insurance company and get stung double normal retail for the "privilage" of buying it. and then there is the performance of trying to get your doctors permission to home test!; well i would have spat the dummy in five seconds flat!

why not just buy a home tester direct from the manufacturer or an authorised wholesaler for approx us$650.00 and give all of the above crap the flick, QED?

westie

disclosure - my surgeon said i was the worst patient he had ever had and had made sure he did a lifetime job on me so he never had to see me again!

 

[Maryka]

I agree with Westie. Too much silliness in the present medical care system in the USA. I sure wish that all of these other crises had not come up when we in the USA were on the verge of getting a "universal" healt care system.

(By the way my surgery to repair the vocal cord damage from OHS intubatation is tomorrow...Thank God I still have a job that offers medical insurance.)

 

[Ross]

I agree with Westie. Too much silliness in the present medical care system in the USA. I sure wish that all of these other crises had not come up when we in the USA were on the verge of getting a "universal" healt care system.

(By the way my surgery to repair the vocal cord damage from OHS intubatation is tomorrow...Thank God I still have a job that offers medical insurance.)

Heck, thank God that you have a job!

 

[catwoman]

.
sorry, but i just do not know how all you guys in the states put up with all this co- pay, co insurance, permission, qas, red tape crap! and as for this racket where you "allowed" to buy a home tester from your medical insurance company and get stung double normal retail for the "privilage" of buying it. and then there is the performance of trying to get your doctors permission to home test!; well i would have spat the dummy in five seconds flat!

why not just buy a home tester direct from the manufacturer or an authorised wholesaler for approx us$650.00 and give all of the above crap the flick, QED?

Unless the manufacturers have changed policies, Roche, HemoSense and ITC do not sell directly to individuals. I had called Roche in 2003 and was told it did not sell to individuals.
Authorized wholesalers, i.e., dealers, say they sell only to medical professionals.

It's appealing to buy from a wholesaler, but what happens if you have problems with the unit and the business finds out that you're not a medical professional? I don't want to find out, but others might not be so concerned.