latch problem

[jum001]

My niece is having a dispute with the DME re the non functioning latch on resmed escape 3 humidifier. It opens whenever pressure is produced. She has to put a telephone book on it to keep it closed. She is being told it never happens and she must have damaged it. Anyone else with the same or similar problem? She can't afford to pay for a new machine and this one is less than a year old.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[jennmary]

That humidifier is under warranty for 2 years. It is NOT her DMEs decision to make. The DME needs to send it in for a warranty repair. If indeed resmed determines that it was out of warranty damage then that is their decision to make and they will charge her for the repair and not a whole new unit.

I dont have that problem....but I can see how it could happen on that humidifier (I have the same one).

Tell the DME that you are aware that THEY may not have seen that problem.....but they do not deal every one of the hundreds of thousands sold worldwide. Tell them you would appreciate them sending it in for repair or replacement to let the company who extended the warranty make the determination themselves.

[jum001]

Thank you for the info. I've passed it on to her. When you're laying(lying?) in a hospital bed in atrial fibrillation, the last thing you need is hassle from a DME.

Julie

[rested gal]

jum, you might try calling the support line number at resmed. Let them know what's happening. After all, resmed is the one that wants to drive everyone into the arms of the local DMEs for that "personal extra service."

Tell them you're considering contacting the local media about the problem that a hospitalized woman is having with the home health care outfit she received her sleep apnea equipment from, but that you decided to first give resmed a chance to convince THEIR "approved dealer" to do the right thing and replace the humidifier chamber.

Or (on second thought) contact your niece's doctor and sic him/her on the local DME. That might be faster. I'd think most DMEs would hop-to when the doctors who refer business to them express disapproval about the way the DME is treating one of their patients.

Sorry your niece is hospitalized. Hope things are going better for her.

[arthuranxious]

I had a Resmed humdifier which only stayed on if I tied it with string to the main machine, otherwise the indicator light would go off. Resmed denied it was a problem and told me thay I probably didn't realize that the room was humid enough and so the sensors were turning it off. I tried to explain nicely that a little push made it go back on.... but I almost believed them and was bothered by endless nasal drip until I trussed it up like a chicken. Finally after telling my DME since January, and being promised they would send a replacement in April, their man called and woke up my wife at 7 last Thursday morning to say he is stuck in traffic but will be there soon to do the inspection promised in january!!! he poked for a couple of minutes , got busy on his cel phone and FedEx had a new humidifier at my doorstep Friday morning.
Of course, there are lots of little problems with loose connections, I would have left it tied together with string but my doctor insisted that I am entitled to a machine which works properly, and pointed out that if you don't scream at Resmed they won't try harder.

[jum001]

Thank you for all your suggestions. She had left two unanswered messages at the DME before I spoke with her this morning. Her next call was to the supervisor of the resperiratory therapy department armed with a list of her options. I had also added the option of a call from her attorney (her uncle but they don't know that) saying a person in the hospital with heart problems was not getting service for a condition which can affect the heart. End of long story is they are sending someone out with a new humidifier today. Smiles all around.

Julie