[Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems OrderingTestingSupplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?

Wed Mar 26 17:58:31 UTC 2014

I actually just got through to the complaint line, option 8. The lady's name 
was Michelle and she was helpful. She said they didn't receive the doctor's 
form until last night after they were closed. When I said my doctor sent it 
three times, she said that they received it on Monday. Then, she said they 
couldn't send me strips because I hadn't paid my balance which was also 
false but she had no record of payment. Thank goodness I write everything 
down and also the name of the lady I talked to when I paid my bill. The 
payment was taken out of my checking account but yet they had no record of 
it until she called up the billing office. They have no clue what they are 
doing. This will be the last time I deal with this company.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems 
OrderingTestingSupplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?


>I had left messages asking A1 Diabetes to have a supervisor return my call 
>regarding the problem having my test strip prescription refilled and not 
>once did they return a call.  I also tried selecting the option for 
>complaints on their 1-800 number and got disconnected.  This is horrible.
>
> Try not to stress ... I know its difficult but for what its worth I feel 
> your pain & upset over this.
>
> Eileen
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Tara M. Carty
> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 1:21 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems 
> OrderingTestingSupplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?
>
> I have ten test strips left. I tested this morning and will test before I 
> go
> to bed. When I tried to complain to A-1, that is when they put me on hold
> for twenty minutes and then asked me to leave a voice mail! As calmly as I
> could, I explained the situation, but never got a call back. My doctor has
> sent them a cover letter explaining the seriousness of the situation too.
> I've been trying to order supplies for two weeks! My sugar is probably 
> going
> up because of the stress and I dread that horrible message of 
> "Insufficient
> blood!"
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 1:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems Ordering
> TestingSupplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?
>
>
>> Tara,
>>
>> Yes, you are having the exact same problems I had with A1 Diabetes.  It 
>> is amazing to me that we have no re-course for submitting complaints 
>> against these companies with Medicare.  Medicare told me I could only 
>> complain if they did not take my insurance.
>>
>> And now with the same problem seemingly to be happening with Ariva 
>> Medical. With Ariva, when I asked the customer service rep to speak to a 
>> supervisor I was told I was asking for something no one else has asked 
>> for.  Making me feel like a reasonable request was some how out of the 
>> ordinary and above and beyond what my expectations of a well run company 
>> should be.
>>
>> So very frustrating especially when my strip supply is now getting very 
>> low and this all started last week and still not resolved!
>>
>> I have never in all the years with diabetes had this level of difficulty 
>> getting a legimate perscription filled.
>>
>> Eileen
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message----- 
>> From: Tara M. Carty
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 12:59 PM
>> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems Ordering 
>> TestingSupplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?
>>
>> I am having the exact problem with the paperwork. I also recently moved 
>> and
>> every time I call A-1, they still have my old address. I have been on the
>> phone with my doctor's office while they faxed the form and got 
>> confirmation
>> and A-1 still has not received it. I also test six times a day and am
>> insulin dependent. The phone system is horrible for A-1 as well. They put
>> you on hold for twenty minutes, then ask you to leave a voice mail but 
>> never
>> call you back. I spent almost four hours on the phone on Monday trying to
>> figure out the paperwork and order my supplies.
>> I am so frustrated and am afraid if I go to another company, I'll find 
>> the
>> same thing.
>>
>>
>> Tara
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "eileen scrivani" <etscrivani at verizon.net>
>> To: "NFB Diabetes Talk" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 9:58 AM
>> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Anyone Else Having Problems Ordering Testing
>> Supplies Through Medicare Approved Providers?
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am curious if any one else who uses Medicare Part B for testing 
>> supplies,
>> insulin dependent and testing more than 3 times per day is having a
>> difficult time having their orders filled through Medicare providers?
>>
>> I was using A1 Diabetes at first and was testing 6 times per day.  Each 
>> time
>> my doc faxed back their form, they kept telling me they never got it.
>> Finally had to physically make a trip to my doctors office, pick up the 
>> form
>> and snail mail it into A1 Diabetes.  Now am increasing the number of 
>> times
>> per day I test to 8 and need to have the script updated.  Again, they are
>> claiming that they are not getting the fax back from my doctor who is 
>> very
>> clearly sending it back in.
>>
>> So I had enough with A1 Diabetes and am now trying to get set up with 
>> Ariva
>> medical, another Medicare approved provider.  Again, my doctor is getting
>> their faxes, sending them back and then when I call to check on the order 
>> am
>> told by Ariva that they never got the fax back from the doctors office!!
>>
>> I’m trying not to get upset over this, but it takes about 10 days for
>> supplies to get sent through mail, and its taking days for this paperwork
>> nightmare to get straightened out.  I called the Medicare 1-800 number 
>> and
>> they cannot take complaints against these companies except in the case 
>> where
>> insurance is not being accepted.  Is this an underhanded way of perhaps
>> rejecting the insurance?
>> My suspicion is that for diabetics testing above the Medicare allotted
>> amount of 3 times per day for an insulin dependent diabetic, they may not
>> for some reason want to take these orders.  Any ideas on this?  Are 
>> others
>> having this much trouble with these places?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Eileen
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
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>
>
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