I have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and have used a C-PAP machine since July 10th, 1991 at a setting of 17.5 c.w.p. My original C-PAP machine was provided by Homedco the fore-runner of Apria Healthcare. On April 11th 1994, my original machine was replaced by a newer model when it began to malfunction.
On February 17th of 1998, my current machine stopped working completely Unfortunately for me this happened about 25 minutes after I had gone to bed. Because of warnings from doctors and sleep technicians at the sleep center where I had been tested years before, I sat awake all night rather than risk falling asleep and perhaps having a heart attack from the resulting apneatic episodes.
On the morning of February 18th, I called the toll free telephone number on the service sticker on the side of my C-PAP machine. I spoke with a woman who told me that I would have to bring in my machine to find out exactly why it was not working. She told me that it was possible that the blower motor had failed or the 'control board' might be the cause of the malfunction. I asked for a estimate of what each of those components would cost to replace and was told that either would be about $200.00. I then asked how long it would take to get my machine diagnosed to find the problem, and was told that it might be about a week, but that I would be given a "loaner" C-PAP machine to use free of charge while they had my machine.
I took my machine in that morning, eager to get on with the process and also eager to have a loaner machine so I could go home and catch up on my missed sleep from the previous night.
When I arrived at Apria Healthcare, I spoke with a woman who told me that the cost of a blower motor or a control board would be at least $300.00. She then went to speak with a technician via telephone to find out for me how long it might take to diagnose my machine. When she came back, she informed me that because the manufacturer would not allow the Apria Healtcare technicians to work on their brand C-PAP machines, they would have to package my machine up, send it to the manufacturer and have them diagnose the problem. She also told me that her technician had said that the blower motor and control board would probably cost as much as $500.00 each if they had to be replaced.
She also told me that since this particular manufacturer was very slow, that it might be as long as a month before they would hear back from them with the diagnosis. When I asked what would I do for a C-PAP machine in the meantime, I was told that I could rent one until my machine could be repaired. Since Apria Healthcare would not let her 'pro-rate' the rental, it would cost me $95.00/month for the rental of their C-PAP machine.
Feeling that I was somewhat trapped (no working c-pap machine, not willing to risk a heart attack by sleeping with out a c-pap machine) I agreed with the rental plan. A check for $95.00 was paid to Apria Healthcare for the rental of the c-pap machine from 2-18-98 until 3-18-98.
In March I received a statement asking for another payment of $95.00 for continued rental of the c-pap. I called Apria Healthcare and asked if my machine had been returned or if they had heard what the diagnosis for it was yet, and was told by the woman I spoken to in person on 2-18-98, that they had not heard anything yet and that it would probably be another month before they did. Reluctant to put out another $95.00 for what might be only a couple days rental of their machine, I held off on making the payment to Apria Healthcare.
On April 13th, I again called Apria Healthcare to inquire about my machine. This time I spoke with a man who told me that while they had not heard anything more about my machine from the manufaturer, he did not think I should be paying rental and he would see that the rental fee I had already paid was refunded, and the rental agreement was changed to a loaner, so I would not owe any rental fees. I was told by this man to disregard the statement I had received.
On April 23rd, I received another statement from Apria Healthcare. This one was in a hand addressed envelope. This statement told me that my second month's rental fee was 30 days past due. The next morning (4-24-98) I called Apria Healtcare and spoke with the same man who had told me he would see to changing my rental agreement to a loaner agreement. He told me that I should disregard this new statement, and that he would go right then as speak with the person whose name appeared on the statement as the preparer. I again asked about my c-pap machine and was was told that nothing had been heard yet and that I would be telephoned when the machine had arrived back at Apria Healthcare.
As of May 11th, 1998 I still have not gotten my machine back from Apria Healthcare, received the promised refund of the first months rental fee or gotten confirmation that the rental agreement has been changed to a loaner agreement...
What is going on with this company? Why do they allow matters to continue this way?
On Friday June 29th I got a phone call from the Apria Healthcare office I have been dealing with. I was told that the blower had gone out on my machine, and that it would be $342.00 to repair. I asked to call back on Monday to make a final decision. On Monday, I called Apria Healthcare and told them that I would be coming in on Wednesday (7-1-98) to return their machine and to pick mine up so I could take it somewhere else to be repaired.
On July 1, I did indeed drive out to Redmond to return their machine, and pick up my machine. I was given a statement with a total due of $0.00. I did not receive any kind of explanation or apology for having been put through this ordeal. I also did not receive the promised refund, although to be totally fair, I did not ask about the refund this morning...I was just so relieved to finally be able to walk away from this that it would be worth it not to get the refund.
So, then I was stuck with a cpap machine that still did not work, and no loaner or rental to use. I had previously seen a Northwest Washington Home Health Supply office much closer to my home. I took my nonworking machine to them and arranged for a loaner while they sent my machine to be repaired. I dropped my machine off before 12noon on 7-1-98, and by 4:30 pm of THE SAME DAY I had a phone call telling me that the estimate to repair my machine was $239.00. Over $100.00 less than what Apria Healthcare took over 4 months to come up with. And Northwest Washington Home Health Supply did it in less than 5 HOURS.
Now I will wait to see how long it will take to actually have the machine repaired and back home to use. I am glad to not have to deal with Apria Healthcare anymore.
I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to Tony T. for getting the local office on the ball for me.
I can not believe that after 4 months of nothing that it was coincidence that I got results
3 days after Tony's first e-mail message. I also want to quote from Tony's first message:
"I can assure you this is an exception and not the norm."
Hopefully anyone who has to use Apria Healthcare will get someone like Tony to help them rather
than the folks I dealt with in this branch.