Newbies need full data machines...IMHO

Since we have a troll regularly annoying us with her thoughts on full data machines, it got me thinking about my own situation....

I've been on CPAP for 15 days. Because I found this site (and another similar) I knew I wanted a full data machine. I was fortunate that my SD
ordered a full data machine without me having to push for it AND my DME gave me one without me having to ask.

I was looking at my sleepyhead data today and I realized, I'm comfortable with my CPAP therapy BECAUSE I have the data in front of me to prove its working!
I check my daily report on my machine everyday before getting out of bed, takes 2 sec. Then I know I did well through the night, that I'm DOING things right.
If I didn't have anything to see my leaks and AHI I would be wondering if I was doing this right, was it working etc. I would have to wait till my follow up
appointment to know I was on the right path. I realized that the peace of mind is invaluable since my appointment isn't till mid March (it'll be almost 2 months
from starting CPAP).

As a healthcare provider myself, knowledge and understanding of the condition and treatment are paramount to improved compliance. It appears that my SD, DME and insurance are surprisingly on the same page

The smart DME will recognise that if a patient/doctor is happy, that patient's
business will stay 'in house' for at least the remainder of the year.
The savvy DME will want repeat business, as that is money in the bank.
Your DME wants you coming back.
The troll is about to file chapter 9.

"knowledge and understanding of the condition and treatment are paramount to improved compliance. It appears that my SD, DME and insurance are surprisingly on the same page "

I think you would actually find this statement to be more often true than not.

Keep in mind, this board is a very small sampling of the OSA patients on xPAP out there, and we are more prone to seek help from an internet board when something isn't going right for us, so the negativity towards DME/sleep docs is valid in those patients, but there are many out there who actually have great DMEs/sleep docs who have provided education to their patients, follow up with their patients and encourage data tracking through fully data capable machines, but we don't see too many of them here, because they are happy with their therapy and don't need to seek out opinions from the internet.

In the area I live, which is saturated with both national and local DMEs, there is not a single one that does not provide anything less than a fully data capable machine.....of course less profit initially, but as we all know, a happy customer tends to be a repeat customer.

I totally agree with you. My machine is data capable but if i hadn't perused this board beforehand, i wouldn't have asked for my S9 Elite, they were going to give me the S9 Escape. Also, the DME tech, while helpful, didn't turn on the feature to see what my AHI was that night. Thanks to this board, i have Sleepyhead and Rescan on my computer and i check it almost everyday.

A followup visit with your doctors?!?!? Hmm, they didn't schedule anything like that for me. The DME/Doctors/Insurance are only concerned that i'm using my CPAP machine at least 4 hours a night for 30 consecutive days so that the thing will be covered by insurance.

Good luck with your therapy!

kwcrnp wrote:Since we have a troll regularly annoying us with her thoughts on full data machines, it got me thinking about my own situation....

I've been on CPAP for 15 days. Because I found this site (and another similar) I knew I wanted a full data machine. I was fortunate that my SD ordered a full data machine without me having to push for it AND my DME gave me one without me having to ask.

You ARE very fortunate. Which is about the exact opposite of being entitled to it. Congratulations for understanding the difference.

and we are more prone to seek help from an internet board when something isn't going right for us, so the negativity towards DME/sleep docs is valid in those patients,

Actually I went to the internet right away when dx with OSA to get as much information as I could so that I was a prepared and knowledgeable patient. I always take the information gained from the net with some skepticism but when I see the majority stating the same thing AND it makes logical sense, then I trust that information.

My point is, starting on CPAP is not easy, can be overwhelming and frustrating....to be able to have visual confirmation that it is working right and you're doing it right,
can make a huge difference in compliance and long term usage. Thus reducing other healthcare consequences and future healthcare cost. The benefit far out weighs the slight increase in cost.

Support is very, very important to a new user of CPAP.
Few patients have this essential part of the formula--no one pays for it.
This probably helps explain the high incidence of CPAP drop-outs in the general population.
The medical/insurance/supplier establishment communicate among themselves, but not enough to us, the patients.
Important data is withheld on a daily basis; and people DIE.

chunkyfrog wrote:The smart DME will recognise that if a patient/doctor is happy, that patient's
business will stay 'in house' for at least the remainder of the year.
The savvy DME will want repeat business, as that is money in the bank.
Your DME wants you coming back.
The troll is about to file chapter 9.

Question - how many times does the DME need to resupply a patient to break even on the $100-$150 dollar difference in the cost of the fully data capable machine?

It may depend on the amounts agreed to in the insurance company's contract.
I suspect that some DME's would be well advised to consult an accountant before signing with some insurance companies.

chunkyfrog wrote:It may depend on the amounts agreed to in the insurance company's contract.
I suspect that some DME's would be well advised to consult an accountant before signing with some insurance companies.

In other words you have no idea. Your opinion about what the smart DME would do is fully noted within the context that you have no idea what you're talking about. Most DMEs can't even afford to hire someone to call you (3 or 4 times before you return the call) to see if you need resupply (that's why they use robocalls that are also expensive).

Not at all.
I am fully aware that different insurance companies allow different amounts for products and services,
depending on how low they can get the deal for--it is usually negotiated.
----How low will you go to be "in network?"
To sign any contract without understanding the consequences would be foolish.

Guest wrote:
In other words you have no idea. Your opinion about what the smart DME would do is fully noted within the context that you have no idea what you're talking about. Most DMEs can't even afford to hire someone to call you (3 or 4 times before you return the call) to see if you need resupply (that's why they use robocalls that are also expensive).

I don't understand the point of having a debate with a "guest."

If you don't wish to join the forum and take on a consistent identity, why should you expect to receive any attention?

You are lucky to see anyone here even responding to your comments.

Why should it make any difference since everyone is anonymous and uses a pseudodym?

Because if you keep coming on as a "Guest" the rest of us have no way of knowing whether you are ten people holding the same opinion or one person pretending to be ten.

Somehow, that doesn't seem to be intellectually honest.

Nate

chunkyfrog wrote:Not at all.
I am fully aware that different insurance companies allow different amounts for products and services,
depending on how low they can get the deal for--it is usually negotiated.
----How low will you go to be "in network?"
To sign any contract without understanding the consequences would be foolish.

So let's say you've been in business for 8-10 years and during that time insurance reimbursement has dropped about 35% with another 20% or more expected over the next 2 years. Meanwhile gas, rent, wages, all keep going up. Sure, you can opt out of the network, but all the insurance payers are cutting reimbursement, and some are making deals with national providers where payment is barely above costs. Should you just keep giving things away for free until you have to close the doors and lay off all your staff?

Surely you don't imagine that DME providers have any control over which insurance payers are operating in the areas the DME is providing service in, do you? Surely you understand that they have no input into what the insurance company will cover or pay. Yes?

Insurance companies and they huge profits they demand are 90% of the problem with healthcare in this country.

By the way, did you know that on average patients take 120 days or more to pay their co-pay and deductible charges? Did you know most have to pay someone full time just to call patients that haven't paid their bill to try to get them to pay? Yes, they have to act like collections agencies on the side. Do you think the grocery store down the street could stay in business if it gave you 4 months to pay your grocery bill, and had to employ workers just to call and beg you to pay the bill that you agreed to when you took the groceries home?

Some forums that I belong to guest can read post all day long but in order to post in the forum you must register.

I agree with Squid.....guest should not be able to post.