Tell me about your ostomy supplier

I am still on samples so I cannot suggest a company from personal experience however my brother works for Prism, they are out of North Carolina. I know they go through a 16 week training and the people on the phones are supposed to be very knowledgable. They are a family owned company who emphasize customer service. I wanted to use them but they are not one of the approved companies for my insurance. Not sure about online ordering and such since I haven't actually used them.

I use Medline, 5 years. The past year, they have changed their ordering process. Their customer service call center changed, and they basically screw up every order. The people answering the phone are not experienced. With every order being screwed up and getting the wrong product, this then requires a doctors approval because it's considered new, and my surgeon is getting annoyed. Not at me, but that this is the direction suppliers are taking.

So I decided a couple of months ago to call up this family owned company, here in the Chicagoland area that everyone (hospital, nurses, friends, ostomy support groups) raves about....Mark Drug.

They set up an account for me, got my insurance info and all items I use, and then my surgeon had to write them a letter. Once they received this letter, they called to process my first order, and to tell me that my insurance will NOT cover any of my supplies....Convetec (which I use), hollister or coloplast. I was SHOCKED! They said my insurance would only cover this "new" generic one. I asked her to give me the billing codes so I can check with my insurance. She failed to provide me any, so I hung up with her, got the codes online, and called the insurance. I AM allowed all of my items. So I called Mark Drug back, yelled at her, and she whispered to me that the owner wants to rid of all ostomy patients. And in order to do so, push them into getting this not new but old generic brand which everyone dislikes. She stated owner's profiting like $1 on every item from the major manufacturers. I said the owner can do what he wants, but how she/owner went about this is just as malicious and cunning as insurance companies.

I'm back with Medline until I find another. It's brutal and if this is an indication of things to come....scary.

There is also one called Mountain View Medical Supply. They don't bill your insurance, but provide a statement with all the coding on it. I turn this in to my insurance and they reimburse me. They are way less expensive than Edgepark which is important for me because I pay 10%. 303-455-1300. Their website is mvmsinc.com They are located in Arvada Colorado. It is free shipping for orders over 100.00

Just called Liberator to reorder supplies because i have to get some now and might take a bit to get into / find a new company that takes my insurance.

This call has motivated me to get moving on finding someone else….Liberator was awful! I told the guy that last order I was sent the wrong pouch/bag. He just said "oh". I told him I don't want my insurance to pay for those because it's not what I ordered. So, he asks if I am going to return them. I said no, I can't, i had to use some because your company wouldn't send the correct bags until now (when it was time to reorder, the woman I previously talked to about the wrong bags said she'd "express ship" a couple boxes to me when I could reorder--Wow, thanks for your generosity).

He just says nothing and moves on with his script. He asks how often I change my appliance--I told him it varies, anywhere from 1-3 times a week. So we settle on 2, fine.

DOES ANYONE ELSE'S COMPANY DO THIS:
Ask you how many of each supply you have left? And they won't let you reorder until you get down to a 14 day supply?

I place my order, last time it was a months supply rather than 3 because things may still change, so I assumed I was ordering for 1 month. He then continues his script with things like doctor, address, phone confirmation stuff.

Towards the end of the call, he says ok, so that looks like enough for a three month supply. You can reorder in January!! I had only ordered enough for 1 month--he didn't do the math or notice apparently that I was not ordering much, and I didn't realize he was thinking it was for 3 months.

The last thing he says, right after telling me to reorder in January, he says have a nice day and hangs up.


@Everyone: Thanks for all of the replies you have shared with me. I'm looking for one that takes my insurance and has online ordering, and my search is now a high priority!! I really do appreciate all of you taking the time to answer me. Even if my insurance doesn't work with those or whatever, it's good to know there are some great companies out there (and a couple to steer clear of!!!)

And thanks for letting me vent….


Sunny

@cpc56--Is there an ostomy nurse you could contact? Maybe at the hospital where you had surgery? I am concerned too about finding a supplier who has a clue what they are talking about. I had a good experience with Edgepark, but there was a mix-up w/ insurance and they actually don't take mine! I have been checking out websites of all the different suppliers the hospital told me about. I want to find one that has the online ordering and the possibility of talking to someone on the phone if/when I have questions about products too. I know little about the places, only what their websites promote, but I think 180 Medical looked pretty good--only supply catheters and ostomy supplies. Hope you are able to find something soon, and when you do, let me know!

I used 180 Medical when I had my temp loop ileostomy and they were great. But I think they only deal with Convatec supplies (not all the others).

Sunny13 said...

DOES ANYONE ELSE'S COMPANY DO THIS:
Ask you how many of each supply you have left? And they won't let you reorder until you get down to a 14 day supply?

I place my order, last time it was a months supply rather than 3 because things may still change, so I assumed I was ordering for 1 month. He then continues his script with things like doctor, address, phone confirmation stuff.

Towards the end of the call, he says ok, so that looks like enough for a three month supply. You can reorder in January!! I had only ordered enough for 1 month--he didn't do the math or notice apparently that I was not ordering much, and I didn't realize he was thinking it was for 3 months.

The last thing he says, right after telling me to reorder in January, he says have a nice day and hangs up.

No, that's crazy. My supplier hasn't policed my ordering. I have to order loads of stuff, I've been having constant leaks.