Medpulse Vest and Insurance companies

[anonymous]

Hello,

I need help!!! For those of you who successfully passed a vest through your private insurance...do you have any advice....I am going to send in a request to my insurance company and was wondering if you have any advice to give...other than I need a letter from my doctor.

Thanks<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I am in Canada

 

[JazzysMom]

I obtained my vest through American Biosystems, Inc. My insurance carrier at the time (1/2000) would not approve a purchase immediately. They leased it for 15 months at $1,060./mo. I just found the paperwork plus the vest itself was $530.00 & followup was $350.00. American Biosystems called every month to get readings off of the machine to submit as proof to the insurance co that it was being used. That in addition to my health improving proved it a good risk (I guess) & they approved a final purchase. I dont have that paperwork anymore, but I know it was something outragious. $26,000.00 sticks in my head, but I cant be sure of that. It was a lot. I also remember getting the vest from American Biosystems before the insurance company approved it. The letter from American Biosystems states: "We assure you that American Biosystems will never remove an ABI Vest System if you are unable to meet co-payment obligations due to financial hardships." They might work with you. They are outof St. Paul Minnesota & their phone # is (651) 490-1468, (800) 426-4224 or fax (651)-490-1484. Calling cant hurt. Your social worker & other support staff at your doctors should be able to know the loopholes!

 

[anonymous]

Thank you so much for the reply!!! I never thought of renting one...maybe that will pass. Our doctors have told us that they have NEVER had a canadian CF patient pass through a vest<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">(( But maybe we will be the first. Thanks so much.

 

[JazzysMom]

Good Luck!

 

[anonymous]

My daughter also got her vest from American Biosystems about 4 years ago. The cost was 17,000.00 for the compressor and 500.00 for the vest itself. She has since had a replacement vest (old one too little) at a cost of 350.00. American Biosystems had everything delivered to our home and told us they would deal with the insurance company - they also told us that if they could not get it approved they would let us keep the system at no cost because they would never take it away from someone that truly needed it. Our insurance company was Humana and initially they turned it down - then they agreed to renting the vest and following my daughter's PFT's and hospital stays - as well as having someone call on a monthly basis to get meter readings off the machine to see that it was being used. Well after a year of renting the machine Humana purchased it outright for our daughter - and they paid for vest replacements as well.

DOES ANYONE NEED A CHILD MEDIUM VEST? WE HAVE ONE IN PERFECT CONDITION - GOT TOO SMALL FOR OUR DAUGHTER

 

[blindhearted]

I got my vest paid with private insurance company 5 yrs or so ago from American Biosystems, and they did all the filing for me. They would call monthly for a while to see if I was using it, and since I hated it with a passion, I would still get manual CPT from someone and only used it if I had to. So my "mileage" was very low, they would tell me to use it more. But I've now embraced the vest, use it more often than not. Since I'm working and active as a 23yr old, I'm trying to get the up-dated version (smaller lighter one that's 10 lbs, mine weighs about 50lbs+ and cant be taken anywhere) and the vest company said I would have to do the filing with the insurance company myself. They dont have the people to file for you anymore, unless you are already in the system and using the same insurance as before. This has been quite aggravating. We requested a case manager (for anyone filing with private insurance, its a good idea to have a case manager since everytime you speak to an ins. co. you talk to someone different. with a case manager one person deals with your case and has the power to approve something when the company would normally say no to. and if nothing else you dont have to explain the situation each and every time you call, the CM knows.) I wanted to let people know that ABS might require you to do all the dealing with the insurance companies now. Has anyone successfully gotten an up-dated version of the vest by filing private insurance?

 

[anonymous]

I was like the second person in the world to ever get the vest, so it was the original one, about four feet tall, well over 100 pounds. I am going to college next year, so I was able to upgrade to the newest model on the theory that I could not bring the original one with me. It is supposed to be delivered today. I have private insurance. American Biosystems handled EVERYTHING. The respiratory therapist at the clinic also knew everything that needed to be done, and had the letter of medical necessity written before we even contacted AB, so that really helped too.

 

[anonymous]

It seems like a lot of people have filing/insurance issues with the medipulse vest???? Has anybody else checked out the Hill-Rom site (www.thevest.com)??? We got our vest from there last year for my husband, they came to the house to do an initial fitting, show him how to use it and such and low and behold, we haven't gotten a single "mileage" call since then. I imagine taht might have a bit to do with our insurance not really needing a mileage check up, but still between Hill-Rom and my husbands doctor, they filed all the insurance stuff, got the approval and had it delivered. I also hear that medipulse makes you buy a new vest when your child outgrows it, is that right? Hill-Rom told us if the vest ever got ruined, or outgrown they give a new one for FREE. I just wanted to mention since there seem to be some recurring and important issues with medipulse.


Julie (wife to Mark 24 w/CF)

 

[SeasonsOfLove]

Colleen too received the original vest from American Biosystems. Does anyone know if this company is still around?

Thanks,

 

[blindhearted]

I've always dealt with www.thevest.com (according to the toll free number I've been calling) and my vest has ABI Vest (American Biosystems, Inc.) written on it. As I said, the first time they took care of everything, this time they told me and my doctors that I had to do it myself. I had to call my insurance company, get assigned a case manager (half the ppl at the company we talked to didnt even know what the vest was or what CF was), get the HicPic Code to see if its something the Ins Co will pay for, working on a medical necessity letter from my CF Doctors. We have been working on this for a good two months or so. It's driving me crazy. I believe I had the same thing told to me Julie, ruined or outgrown things would be replaced for free. I'm hoping mine will short-curcuit then I can get it replaced and not jump through so many hoops and red tape.

 

[wallflower]

I believe that AB and Hill-Rom at www.thevest.com is actually the same company. I'm not sure what model my vest is, but it is about knee-high and fairly portable. I have to report mileage once a year for insurance for Medicare. AB has been great to me in the past - they called me to approve upgrading my vest to the newer version (one I have now) and did all the paperwork. They also exchanged my vest when I went oversees to a version that was wired for the right voltage. So far, it has been nice to have one area in my CF world that has been so easy to deal with.

33 w/CF