steps to getting an upgrade on a vest

L

littletally

New member
Hello,
I am trying to upgrade my vest to a more portable one and I was wondering if anyone could let me know the steps they took in doing so. I recieved some papers from the clinic and I called the insurance company but the lady I talked to said I needed different papers and some code to let them know what kind of machine it is. What did you all do to get the process started? And how much did it cost if any, or if you are willing to tell. My insurance is telling me that I would have to pay the deductible which is 200 and then 20% of the allowed amount. I'm not sure what the allowed amount is but if it's alot then that is really going to suck! So does anyone know of any options if it's to much? I think they'll cover it once I get it there but I just don't know how to make sure everything is going where it's supposed to go!!! I just might go batty trying to figure it all out so any help would be great!
Thanks,
Nikki
27/f/cf
 
L

littletally

New member
Hello,
I am trying to upgrade my vest to a more portable one and I was wondering if anyone could let me know the steps they took in doing so. I recieved some papers from the clinic and I called the insurance company but the lady I talked to said I needed different papers and some code to let them know what kind of machine it is. What did you all do to get the process started? And how much did it cost if any, or if you are willing to tell. My insurance is telling me that I would have to pay the deductible which is 200 and then 20% of the allowed amount. I'm not sure what the allowed amount is but if it's alot then that is really going to suck! So does anyone know of any options if it's to much? I think they'll cover it once I get it there but I just don't know how to make sure everything is going where it's supposed to go!!! I just might go batty trying to figure it all out so any help would be great!
Thanks,
Nikki
27/f/cf
 
L

littletally

New member
Hello,
I am trying to upgrade my vest to a more portable one and I was wondering if anyone could let me know the steps they took in doing so. I recieved some papers from the clinic and I called the insurance company but the lady I talked to said I needed different papers and some code to let them know what kind of machine it is. What did you all do to get the process started? And how much did it cost if any, or if you are willing to tell. My insurance is telling me that I would have to pay the deductible which is 200 and then 20% of the allowed amount. I'm not sure what the allowed amount is but if it's alot then that is really going to suck! So does anyone know of any options if it's to much? I think they'll cover it once I get it there but I just don't know how to make sure everything is going where it's supposed to go!!! I just might go batty trying to figure it all out so any help would be great!
Thanks,
Nikki
27/f/cf
 
B

blindhearted

New member
I will try to tell you what I remember.

Price: The smaller vest cost $16,000. With the trade in from my larger vest (they took it back for $10,000 towards a credit on the new one...kinda like a car trade in), it left $6,000 for insurance. They said I was also gonna have deductable of 20%, which is $1200. So far *knock on wood*, I have yet to see a bill for the remaining amount. I believe the insurance paid it all. I'm not saying this will happen to you. But I've heard that HillRom is very good at working with people on making payments.

Getting the vest: I got my vest through HillRom. I called HillRom...they no long process insurance...so you have to do the leg work. Call them and tell them you are interested in upgrading your vest to a smaller one because it is just too bulky and heavy (they have heard this reason before, they understand) and that you would like to know how to go about doing that. They will send you an information package with instructions on what to do (when I got it, I was confused by it). Ask them to explain what to do with the packet (even if you have to call them back after you get it). They were very nice to me. I'm not sure who u have insurance through but see if u can request a case manager...it makes things a little easier if you can get one. That way you dont have to keep talking and explain things over and over (same thing with the HillRom person, get their name so you can deal with just them). I believe you get the code from HillRom or your CF Doc, explain and ask both. You will need a letter of medical necessity from you CF Doc. Along with CF and needing it for treatments, if you work or go to college, have that put that in the letter and state you need it to be more portable to get your treatments done on the go in order to be more dependant because the current one is too heavy to move. I also went border-line crazy. I finally got tried and I ended up giving my casemanager the number and name to the HillRom rep I was dealing with as well as my doctor. I called my doctor and gave him the HillRom info and my case manager's name and number. And told the person at HillRom they might be expecting calls, and call me if they needed any extra info. I let them talk to each other. They were driving me nuts! After I finally got the ball rolling, I got my vest in a few months. I calling the Case manager (once a week or every two weeks) to keep and update status on the process...I'm sure I drove her crazy, but I didnt want her to forget about it. I know this was a long response but I hope it helps you.
 
B

blindhearted

New member
I will try to tell you what I remember.

Price: The smaller vest cost $16,000. With the trade in from my larger vest (they took it back for $10,000 towards a credit on the new one...kinda like a car trade in), it left $6,000 for insurance. They said I was also gonna have deductable of 20%, which is $1200. So far *knock on wood*, I have yet to see a bill for the remaining amount. I believe the insurance paid it all. I'm not saying this will happen to you. But I've heard that HillRom is very good at working with people on making payments.

Getting the vest: I got my vest through HillRom. I called HillRom...they no long process insurance...so you have to do the leg work. Call them and tell them you are interested in upgrading your vest to a smaller one because it is just too bulky and heavy (they have heard this reason before, they understand) and that you would like to know how to go about doing that. They will send you an information package with instructions on what to do (when I got it, I was confused by it). Ask them to explain what to do with the packet (even if you have to call them back after you get it). They were very nice to me. I'm not sure who u have insurance through but see if u can request a case manager...it makes things a little easier if you can get one. That way you dont have to keep talking and explain things over and over (same thing with the HillRom person, get their name so you can deal with just them). I believe you get the code from HillRom or your CF Doc, explain and ask both. You will need a letter of medical necessity from you CF Doc. Along with CF and needing it for treatments, if you work or go to college, have that put that in the letter and state you need it to be more portable to get your treatments done on the go in order to be more dependant because the current one is too heavy to move. I also went border-line crazy. I finally got tried and I ended up giving my casemanager the number and name to the HillRom rep I was dealing with as well as my doctor. I called my doctor and gave him the HillRom info and my case manager's name and number. And told the person at HillRom they might be expecting calls, and call me if they needed any extra info. I let them talk to each other. They were driving me nuts! After I finally got the ball rolling, I got my vest in a few months. I calling the Case manager (once a week or every two weeks) to keep and update status on the process...I'm sure I drove her crazy, but I didnt want her to forget about it. I know this was a long response but I hope it helps you.
 
B

blindhearted

New member
I will try to tell you what I remember.

Price: The smaller vest cost $16,000. With the trade in from my larger vest (they took it back for $10,000 towards a credit on the new one...kinda like a car trade in), it left $6,000 for insurance. They said I was also gonna have deductable of 20%, which is $1200. So far *knock on wood*, I have yet to see a bill for the remaining amount. I believe the insurance paid it all. I'm not saying this will happen to you. But I've heard that HillRom is very good at working with people on making payments.

Getting the vest: I got my vest through HillRom. I called HillRom...they no long process insurance...so you have to do the leg work. Call them and tell them you are interested in upgrading your vest to a smaller one because it is just too bulky and heavy (they have heard this reason before, they understand) and that you would like to know how to go about doing that. They will send you an information package with instructions on what to do (when I got it, I was confused by it). Ask them to explain what to do with the packet (even if you have to call them back after you get it). They were very nice to me. I'm not sure who u have insurance through but see if u can request a case manager...it makes things a little easier if you can get one. That way you dont have to keep talking and explain things over and over (same thing with the HillRom person, get their name so you can deal with just them). I believe you get the code from HillRom or your CF Doc, explain and ask both. You will need a letter of medical necessity from you CF Doc. Along with CF and needing it for treatments, if you work or go to college, have that put that in the letter and state you need it to be more portable to get your treatments done on the go in order to be more dependant because the current one is too heavy to move. I also went border-line crazy. I finally got tried and I ended up giving my casemanager the number and name to the HillRom rep I was dealing with as well as my doctor. I called my doctor and gave him the HillRom info and my case manager's name and number. And told the person at HillRom they might be expecting calls, and call me if they needed any extra info. I let them talk to each other. They were driving me nuts! After I finally got the ball rolling, I got my vest in a few months. I calling the Case manager (once a week or every two weeks) to keep and update status on the process...I'm sure I drove her crazy, but I didnt want her to forget about it. I know this was a long response but I hope it helps you.
 
L

littletally

New member
Thank you Danyell! I will get started on this stuff today because it's really sad but getting a new vest machine would be like christmas and my birthday all wrapped in one!

Nikki
27/f/cf
 
L

littletally

New member
Thank you Danyell! I will get started on this stuff today because it's really sad but getting a new vest machine would be like christmas and my birthday all wrapped in one!

Nikki
27/f/cf
 
L

littletally

New member
Thank you Danyell! I will get started on this stuff today because it's really sad but getting a new vest machine would be like christmas and my birthday all wrapped in one!

Nikki
27/f/cf
 
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