Status
Not open for further replies.

texastracy

Senior member
Joined
Jul 27, 2013
Messages
500
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
09/2013
Country
US
State
TX
City
Acuff
I'm tired of dealing with medical supply providers who charge $500 for a bipap mask, plus extra for fitting and bill me after the insurance pays out for all the rest when I can buy the mask for $100.

Now I have the feeding tube and that game starts again. I saw the post from the guy who said that insurance was billed 1900, got paid 900, and the guy owes 255. that's enough for me to buy 5 cases on amazon.

Is that what you see from your providers, also?

tracy:twisted:
 
Yes, Tracy it is what we see. I just ordered glucerna for Steve. He doesnt need it yet but he maxed out all his costs this year so everything is free til the end of the year. So he doesnt need it quite yet but its ordered because it will save us the $225 in January. Its all a game.
 
I'm coming on this thread a little late. We buy all Tom's nutrition at Walmart, $6.99 per 6pack of Equate Nutrition Plus. It pretty much matches Ensure Plus or Boost Plus. He takes in a six pack per day. So that works out to roughly $50 a week. He uses a tablespoon of Benefiber once or twice a day, cost is negligible. He has kept his weight up since onset, no problem. (He's losing some weight now due to muscle atrophy). Seeing what others are paying through their medical supply providers makes us feel like we're saving a lot of money doing this on our own.
 
Absolutely! Apria billed $528 for 75 suction catheters. Medicare approved $183 and paid their 80% leaving my portion $37. All that cost to Medicare for paperwork and that is the amount I would have purchased them for online -- and added to my medical deductions on my taxes. That is what I will do in the future to save Medicare the $144 they paid for the catheters without being able to save me anything. If we all followed the money trail and bought our own supplies in such instances it would be a small kick in the shins to manufacturers who overcharge huge amounts for medical supplies.

Another ridiculous bit of price gouging: I was recently on generic Levaquin, one tablet daily for 5 days. If I had no drug coverage or chose to self-pay, the cost would have been $147.00. My cost through my insurance with Express Scripts was $3.86. And unlike Express Scripts, Medicare Part D is not allowed to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices. The worst rip of the government ever pushed through by a President. Thanks for your negotiating efforts G. W.!
 
"Medicare Part D is not allowed to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for lower prices. The worst rip of the government ever pushed through by a President. Thanks for your negotiating efforts G. W.! "

Ditto that, Diane!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top