what is the average lifespan of a machine

i am wondering what is the average lifespan of a bipap machine how many hours

15,000 is about 5-6 years...most are replaced around that time. There are some members here that have machines with higher hours.

I just replaced my initial machine, a RemStar Plus M Series after a little over 12 years of use.

It still works fine, but with all the new features it was past time for an update!.

Medicare will typically replace a machine after 5 years.

Hitomi.Neko wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:07 pm

i am wondering what is the average lifespan of a bipap machine how many hours

Part of it is "the luck of the draw". Some things just fail sooner or later than others.
Another part is how well they're cared for or handled. If they sit on the nightstand night after night, year after year (plugged into a battery backup UPS), they're probably going to last longer than those which are used for travel. If they're dropped or fall off the nightstand, that can be detrimental to their longevity. Also, from my observations over the years (on this forum), the cheaper, non-data-capable machines ( just simple "blowers" ) seem to last longer than the ones that are full of sensors and data-collection features. However, the full-data-features are the ones that a person needs to be able to monitor their therapy. So, it's kind of a trade-off. All things being equal, they should all last about the same amount of time. But, many are subjected to different environments and whatever else may shorten their longevity.


Den

.

I was wondering this myself. My PR ASV is now just over 5 years old (14200 hours), and I was wondering when I should start working on a replacement through insurance.

I really don't want to try to sleep without a functioning machine! Am I on borrowed time, or is it likely to keep chugging along? I take good care of it.

Very many (if not most) of us keep older machines as back-ups when getting new ones... but no one can predict exactly how long which/whose particular machine will last.

My former DME supplier told me this:

For year 1, the CPAP machine is under manufacturer's warranty, so they will fix it if need be.

For years 2 and 3, they will still service it for free, on their own.

For years 4 and 5, they don't have to service it for free, but they will, as a matter of customer courtesy.

After Year 5, it is time for me to get a new sleep study and new prescription and get a new machine.

mileena wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:58 am

After Year 5, it is time for me to get a new sleep study and new prescription and get a new machine.

You don't need a new sleep study to get a new machine.

Pugsy--+1,000,000%
$leep $tudies are a cash cow.
If it is not necessary, your insurance may not want to pay.
Then YOU would be stuck with the bill.
Always check with insurance, if a provider makes this statement.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:16 pm

mileena wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:58 am

After Year 5, it is time for me to get a new sleep study and new prescription and get a new machine.

You don't need a new sleep study to get a new machine.

Thank you. The problem is if it breaks, I would have to see a doctor and get a new prescription for a new machine??? This could take a few months. In the meantime, I would be without a CPAP machine and could die, like Carrie Fisher. Even if I don't have to see a doctor again, even being without a CPAP machine for a weekend could cause death? Or what if I am travelling; how would I get a replacement CPAP then?

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:46 pm

Pugsy--+1,000,000%
$leep $tudies are a cash cow.
If it is not necessary, your insurance may not want to pay.
Then YOU would be stuck with the bill.
Always check with insurance, if a provider makes this statement.

I heard that if a doctor orders a new sleep study, Medicare will pay. They paid for two sleep studies for me in just nine months, because my new doctor was not happy with the way they did the first sleep study.

mileena wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:09 pm

The problem is if it breaks, I would have to see a doctor and get a new prescription for a new machine???

If a machine breaks you don't have to see a doctor and get a new order nor do you have to undergo a new sleep study.
I don't know who told you that but that's not right.

Medicare has provisions for things like that. They even have provisions for people who already have a cpap prior to becoming Medicare age and then switching over to Medicare and want Medicare to pay for the masks and stuff and as long as the sleep study done proving need meet Medicare criteria (and most do) then no new sleep study is required to get anything including a machine.

Often doctors and DMEs come up with their own in house rules and blame Medicare (or other insurance) for the restrictions that usually end up milking the cash cow.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:44 pm

If a machine breaks you don't have to see a doctor and get a new order nor do you have to undergo a new sleep study.
I don't know who told you that but that's not right.

Ok, that is good news then!

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:44 pm

Medicare has provisions for things like that. They even have provisions for people who already have a cpap prior to becoming Medicare age and then switching over to Medicare and want Medicare to pay for the masks and stuff and as long as the sleep study done proving need meet Medicare criteria (and most do) then no new sleep study is required to get anything including a machine.

That would be me, sort of. I own a CPAP machine that Medicare did not pay for (they only paid 3 months and stopped paying, due to non-compliance; and also paid for the sleep study), and now I want supplies for that machine and want Medicare to pay for the supplies!

I also owned a self-paid cpap machine when I started Medicare.
I got no static whatsoever.
And I thought I might, because the lab is not a Medicare provider.
They accepted it anyway.
There may have been problems with mileena's original study;
but I am leaning toward a conspiracy to defraud Medicare.
It happens all the time.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:07 pm

I also owned a self-paid cpap machine when I started Medicare.
I got no static whatsoever.
And I thought I might, because the lab is not a Medicare provider.
They accepted it anyway.
There may have been problems with mileena's original study;
but I am leaning toward a conspiracy to defraud Medicare.
It happens all the time.

LOL chunkyfrog! You have a good sense of humor!