5 May, 2021 → by ClaimboUser122983
Medical supplies

1

With a cancer diagnosis in 2013 I underwent a laryngectomy and removal of my voice box at UCLA R. Reagan Medical Center. After 10 days my husband brought me home to Las Vegas and to the care of visiting nurses and a myriad of DME equipment and medical supplies - all provided by and organized by Preferred Homecare. I was a bewildered, needy patient who was immensely helped by your company. In a few months the laryngectomy tube was removed and a voice prosthesis inserted. This allows me to speak but with difficulty. My contact with Preferred Homecare was by email. The nicest, most efficient customer service representative, Lisa Halwix, Trach and Vent Coordinator, offered to receive my monthly supply orders by email, understanding that requiring me to dictate a list of needed supplies on the telephone would be a huge strain on my meager voice. In 2014 I was diagnosed with lung cancer and was seen by a pulmonologist. Now I needed oxygen equipment and was referred to AA Medical, now AdaptHealth Co. It did not trouble me to have two medical supply companies. However, in 2019 AA Medical had a billing problem which we could not agree on. I had to leave their nice employees and decided to put all my supply needs in the hands of Preferred. Lisa Halwix helped me with all my transferring needs. Every month I ordered from her, receiving the box of supplies within a few days. There were orders from physicians needed by my insurance provider, Aetna Medicare, and Lisa helped me with all the forms. Oh, I did not take Lisa's caring attitude for granted. Frequently I thanked her and acknowledged that she was going above and beyond the definition of customer service. Eight years have gone by, my lung tumor is stable but ever present, I sleep with oxygen from the concentrator, and every month I receive medical supplies. UNTIL NOW. And NOW brings me to the point of this communication. We changed our insurance in January this year, choosing Medicare as our primary and Anthem Blue Cross as secondary. Suddenly my accustomed routine of medical supplies fell apart. There began a series (not merely one!) of phone calls from Regina Lozada in billing. She instructed me that I must see my doctor and submit from him to Preferred Homecare an approved list of supplies. After 8 years with little variation in my supplies. After assuming I was a valued customer with a Preferred file for all my details. February dragged into March. My pulmonogist, overwhelmed with the Covid-19 crisis, said one of his nurse practitioners could easily handle this insurance issue since I was not at all ill. Papers were sent to Preferred. They were refused several times for signatures in wrong places, an objection refuted by the Lung Center doctors. In March I submitted an order to Lisa Halwix and then learned the sad truth: Medicare patients cannot be represented in their home state. I would have to deal with employees in Arizona. These people, represented by Ms Lozada in addition, now, to a Lisa Hill, insisted their forms were still not correct for me to be served by Preferred. AFTER 8 YEARS!! My doctors office manager tells me she deals with many medical supply companies here in Las Vegas and never has been treated as Preferred's employees did. Finally in March it seemed I was going to be allowed to pay Preferred for tubing, masks, suction jars, etc., any supplies not fully covered by Medicare. I emailed my usual order for 5 or 6 items to 3 different people. This is what I was instructed to do: to Regina Lozada, Lisa Hill and MIT Supplies. That week my husband answered the phone to Lisa Hill, calling me with a question. I reminded her that speaking on the phone was so difficult for me. Could she not send an email? She sounded surprised and ignorant of my condition. AFTER 8 YEARS!! Does Preferred not have files on patients? Eventually I did receive that March order. I write today not merely because I am so disappointed in a company which I thought valued me but also because on April 28 I emailed a second supply order, requesting a reply from Preferred having received it (a gesture Lisa Halwix did monthly as a courtesy). Today is May 5. I have received no reply and to date no supplies. Will they arrive? Of course, I am taking recommendations from my ENT, my oncologist and pulmonologist for a change of medical supply companies. My leaving your firm won't be of consequence to you, but social media will read this and wonder...as do I, how Preferred Homecare stays in business. Sincerely, Joyce Goldin
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