CPAP Pre-newbie

JeffV wrote:Is there a shortlist of what I should be shooting for as an acceptable machine?

How about this...The only ones I would really consider for various reasons.
All are full efficacy data machines with easy to obtain and use software and have the most comprehensive data collection.

Respironics...
PR System One 60 Series Pro CPAP...model 460..straight cpap mainly but does have some limited apap mode capabilites..
or the next step up and what most would really want...the PR System One 60 Series Auto CPAP model 560...it has full time apap capability as well as cpap mode capability...2 machines in one.
Both of the above with the PR System One 60 Series humidifier and make sure you get the heated hose capable...better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

ResMed....

S9 Elite..straight cpap machine..1 mode only..cpap mode
better choice would be the S9 AutoSet which again is APAP and also has cpap mode....like 2 machines in 1
Avoid anything with Escape anywhere in the model name.

or maybe since the new ResMed machines are now out there and becoming available.
the newest models the Air Sense 10
AirSense 10 Elite...is just like the S9 Elite...cpap only ...1 machine mode only
AirSense 10 AutoSet....again...apap mode plus cpap mode...like 2 machines in 1
AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her....like the regular AutoSet but with additional special apap mode marketed towards women but men could maybe find it useful too....so like 3 machines in 1

Ok, next question... given how much I'd be outlaying to my insurance for the machine (10-month rental hits my $500 deductible starting in January, plus 20% co-insurance, plus the mark-up from whatever BCBS decides this costs), and how much of a headache it's likely going to be to get any sort of decent machine out of a DME, what's the downside to me dropping $800 or whatever for a good APAP from cpap.com or some other e-tailer? (I do have the savings to be able to do that if needed.) I probably wouldn't get anything back from my insurance since I have a $1,000 out-of-network deductible, but then it's paid for and I present myself to some DME fait accompli and start talking masks. Do I stand to screw things up with my finances / insurance / doctor / DME / some other situation I haven't thought of?

Not saying I think I want to pull this trigger yet as I still have feelers out with a couple of DMEs, but I'm still trying to explore all my options...