Insurance Question - rental and charge for machine

[Greengables]

I was prescribed CPAP about 6 years ago. Long story short, I stopped using the machine for a long time for a variety of excuses.
I went back to my sleep doc in December and was set up with all new equipment, and am back on track again.

I just got my first bill from the DME after going through insurance, and it appears that I am being charged for renting the machine, and for purchasing the machine.
Has anyone seen this before and is it a common practice?
The cost for billed for rental is $250 and the cost billed for purchase of the machine $470, which roughly adds up to the total retail cost. Of course, they also billed separately for the hose, humidifier chamber, filters, and mask supplies.


I will call them on Monday to clear up the question but any information I have beforehand to advocate would be helpful. I am thinking it is a rent to own deal and the DME is billing all at once. The DME did say it was a rental until I met the compliance requirements ( I think 9 months of consecutive use or something similar). I am just surprised to see both charges on the same bill.

[BlackSpinner]

Compliance is 90 days at 4 hours.

Call both your insurance and the DME to get the details because if the DME tells you it is not raining, go out and check it.

[Greengables]

Yes, thank you great suggestion - I will check with both insurance and DME
I forgot the first time around time having the most painful experience with the DME - they were mailing me the wrong cushions and masks, loosing appointments, etc.
I remember giving up and paying OOP at cpap.com and then submitting for reimbursement.

I am giving them a second chance but will likely move back to the online options.

[zoocrewphoto]

With mine, I was told they would rent the machine for two months, and once I met compliance, they would purchase it outright. I made compliance after one month, and I never saw any rental charge. Just the purchase charge.

[LoBattery]

I had questions about insurance and could never get them answered. They got answered yesterday. Rental went from less than $9 to $60, now that it is a new year with no insurance deductible used up. I'm already in for the first month this year. I just bought a backup machine that is better for far less than it will take to get to the deductible. Thought about just bringing back the machine since it would be cheaper to end the rental. In a couple weeks I will be eligible to get the 6 month replacements that I will have to buy outright, but go towards deductible. Is cpap.com reasonable? That will get the machine down to about $300 for the machine. Difference in opinion if the machine is mine after 10 months or 13.

[LSAT]

I had questions about insurance and could never get them answered. They got answered yesterday. Rental went from less than $9 to $60, now that it is a new year with no insurance deductible used up. I'm already in for the first month this year. I just bought a backup machine that is better for far less than it will take to get to the deductible. Thought about just bringing back the machine since it would be cheaper to end the rental. In a couple weeks I will be eligible to get the 6 month replacements that I will have to buy outright, but go towards deductible. Is cpap.com reasonable? That will get the machine down to about $300 for the machine. Difference in opinion if the machine is mine after 10 months or 13.

If the machine you just bought, or the rental, is the machine listed in your profile, you got a dud. That machine supplies no usable data. You should have the Airsense 10 Elite or Autoset.

[LoBattery]

The new "backup" machine is an Autoset with 200hrs. I have two weeks to decide if I want to keep paying rental on the brick. Got to call my guy back to see if I can get another Autoset or a new mystery illness to chew up my deductible.

[Bons]

My insurance company did a 9 months rent to own for my ASV which cost me $80 per month. Stupid me bought it in June which means this last month was a new deductible so full price of $250 this payment