Best BIPAP w/Backup Rate Capability

Hi -

I'm looking for a BIPAP with backup rate that people like. Also one that won't break the bank. Thank you.

It's going to be either ResMed or Respironics and none of them are cheap.
Are you paying out of pocket or is your insurance paying at least something?
If your insurance is paying...what is your portion of the cost?

Secondwindcpap.com has some used machines that will do the back up rate thing.
Looks like a S9 Adapt model 36007 used for $1049 is the cheapest..and prices go up from there mostly in the $1300 price range depending on brand and model. Their used machines will usually have less than 2000 hours on them.
http://www.secondwindcpap.com/Used_CPAP.html

In most situations unless you have a deductible that is high that hasn't been met yet or a high co pay to run up your out of pocket costs it will be cheaper to use your insurance and go through a regular DME.
And remember...your final cost is based on what your insurance "allows" and not necessarily the pie in the sky amount the DME might bill out initially. You would need to check with your insurance to find out what they actually allow.

Pugsy -

My $4,000 deductible has been met(not even March yet). DME said max. monthly allowable was $600. My cost will be either $287 or $120, getting two different amounts from two different people, waiting on the right one. Should be $120, as that is 20%. So monthly rental for 10 months and then it's mine I guess. Still wondering what to do with my AirSense10 Cpap, which I just finished paying off about 6 months ago. Thinking I should keep it for a little bit in case I can return to cpap at some point. If you have a better idea, please share it. Thanks.

Normally we would say keep the old AirSense 10 for a backup machine but since it doesn't meet your needs in terms of addressing your central apnea needs it is not an ideal backup machine. But having a backup to your bipap with back up rate...is very pricey unless you stumble upon a screaming hot deal on something (and sometimes they are out there). I would say keep the old machine for now because it is better than nothing...it will still treat your obstructive apneas..just not be able to deal with the centrals. Some therapy is better than no therapy if your primary machine should crap out in the middle of the night on a holiday weekend and the DME is closed.

In the meantime keep an eye out on the forum for a screaming hot deal on a machine with a back up rate. It can be older model with some hours on it and sometimes a deal will come along that is too good to pass up. Then you could sell your AirSense 10 model.
I just ran across a screaming hot deal on a AirCurve 10 bilevel with back up rate available...a little over 2000 hours on it which doesn't hurt it and I got it for $100 from a forum member whose husband was the user and he had passed away.
You just have to know the machines and be prepared to move on a screaming hot deal if you spot one. Deals are out there but they are few and far between. The only negative to the machine I got is that it doesn't auto adjust the pressure but that really isn't that big of a problem for me.

While it is unlikely that you will be able to "go back to plain cpap" at a later date if you did happen to do that there's no need to go back and get another cpap machine. These bilevels with back up rates will either have cpap mode available or you can dumb it down so that it works like a plain cpap by doing some tweaking with the settings. So at least that will save you from having to buy another plain cpap machine down the road and save you that cost.

Machine will be an AirSense10ST. Monthly rental, since I've met my deductible, $120, 10 months. Looking now quickly for a less expensive option. Anyone have one of these they want to sell? I'll check out the previous suggestions as well. Thank you.

That particular model is a real special model. Not many of them available on the secondary market which means they are hard to find and pricey.
ResMed makes a S9 ST model but again...rare and expensive even if older model with some hours on it.
The rarer they are..the more they are worth because they are very expensive to start with so they will hold a higher used/older model price.

funinsun5 has that model in the S9 model line...20 hours is nothing

2 Used - S9 VPAP ST 20 hours REF - 36008 ---------- $550

from this thread
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=115517&p=1120764#p1120764

this model
http://www.resmed.com/us/en/healthcare- ... ap-st.html

Check with him about humidifier..I couldn't tell if it included the humidifier but we can get you a humidifier for the S9 fairly cheaply if his machine didn't have one included.

this looks like an aircurve10 ST for $600 on CL....

https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/hab/5991719438.html

this looks like an aircurve10 st "like new" (whatever that means) for 900
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hab/6008381764.html

this looks like an aircurve 10 st for $975 in orange county, calif.
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/h ... 98322.html



this looks like an aircurve10 and the ad says "ST" asking 1,000 (2 month old ad)

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/hab/5951539782.html

and this one looks like an aircurve 10 ST ( zero hours) on CL from a reputable seller asking 1,400

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hab/5993342938.html

So, in the interest of time(been waiting since early Dec.)I went ahead and bought the machine from the DME. Used it last night. Reading the upkeep info now. Is it really necessary to wash the mask, the hose and the humidifier every night? I've always washed the mask, the hose and the h every couple of months, if that. Never had a problem and I've been at this since 2003. They also want you to replace your supplies often. Never done that either. If they're working ok, why do it? Think this is just another way for the DME to make money.

Btw, why would the DME bill the humidifier separately? It's part of the machine, isn't it?

Thanks.

lwieland11 wrote:why would the DME bill the humidifier separately? It's part of the machine, isn't it

Because that's just the way they have been billed out for years and no one yet has made a billing code for machines that come with the humidifier built in.
Most models/brands still have a separate humidifier anyway.

lwieland11 wrote:Is it really necessary to wash the mask, the hose and the humidifier every night?

Not in my opinion.