Canadian cpap.com users (Ontario OHIP)

[Hawthorne]

In Ontario, don't count on getting a new machine every 5 years with Government help just like that!   It doesn't happen most of the time.  What you have to do is go through another sleep study, since Ontario suppliers will not give you a new machine (even if you are willing to pay for it all "out of pocket".  You MUST have a recent prescription.  I just went through the process (took 10 months).  I saw the sleep specialist for a followup last week.  It has been almost 6 years since I got my first machine.  Guess what!  No new machine - just a prescription to change the pressure as per the sleep study!I will get a new machine, with Government help, when my current 6 year old machine bites the dust AND is unrepairable, and not a day sooner.Fortunately, I went online in February (in the middle of all this) and bought an M Series auto with A-Flex and humidifier online with card reader and software using my "almost 6 year old" prescription. I had been experiencing extra fatigue since I began the process last October.  I -literally- got tired of waiting!!  The whole package cost "waay" less than a package here would cost.  I probably spent about what I would have had to pay "out of pocket" IF I could have gotten even a new bare bones machine here.  My extended health plan is not great.As things turned out, it's the best money I ever spent.  The Specialist does not know I have the APAP since I wanted to have a backup, given the age of my old machine.  Whatever he would give me in a new prescription would be a good backup since I knew I probably would not qualify for an APAP.  The Government here makes that difficult too!As it stands, I have my APAP.  My old machine is a backup.  It makes me nervous to have such an old machine as a backup, knowing it could go any day, but thankfully, I have my APAP.I survived almost 6 years without a backup but now with it's age-----. The process and the price here is ridiculous.

[Claire]

Just a reminder here that if you have additional medical insurance through your employer, it may cover the 1/4 not paid by OHIP.

While I agree that the prices are too high here (but isn't that the case with all electronic stuff), your supplier only earns what he/she can charge above the wholesale rate. He/she should be discussing machine options with you and helping you find the right mask. Here is where service really makes the difference. My RT runs a one-man shop and bends over backwards to provide really good service. I did not begrudge him the $$$ he made to cover his overhead and time with me.

[frapilu]

Claire,

I'm in Ottawa too -- who do you deal with? I used to be with Access Therapy and had fantastic service. This year things changed since they've been bought out by VitalAire. Even before that, things were starting to change earlier this year. I had reached my 5 years with my machine and I started hitting against a brick wall for everything with them. I guess I was luckier than Hawthorne because I managed to get an appointment to see the sleep doctor without having had a sleep study over again and he gave me a prescription for a new machine even though my old machine wasn't broken. I was going to get an ordinary cpap from Access until I discovered that they could/would not sell me a card reader and software but insisted that I bring them my card for them to download. No way!!!

I was lucky to discover that my extended health plan at work told me they would accept to pay for a machine, reader, software, etc bought on the internet so I bought an Mseries apap with aflex, a HH, a card reader and software from cpap.com. I love it and already see a difference/improvement in my therapy. I'm still waiting to hear if my extended health plan will really pay but they had said they would so we'll see.

Anyway, for masks and stuff, I would consider using your RT because I agree that it is good to have a good helpful RT here in town and I am willing to pay extra for some things to cover for that. So, if you don't want to name the person here, feel free to PM me.

Thanks
France

[PaulyWally]

Whereas I too have noted the higher prices in Canada (in fact, the increase is often close to the ADP benefit we get from OHIP) there are a few problems with buying from US online suppliers:

1) some machines available south of the border are not CSA approved (so don't expect to collect insurance if you burn your house down when your humidifier overheats),
2) most online suppliers provide little or no service or support, so caveat emptor,
3) some manufacturers will not honour warranties on machines purchased out-of-country

Although many of you have had poor experiences with your providers, others have not. I, personally, would have ended up with a much poorer machine for my needs if I hadn't had the advice of my provider. They are not perfect but they have provided a service and for that they deserve compensation.

[Ms Piggy]

Have your out of Canada purchases noted Medical Supplies GST code 57 to avoid having to having to claim back GST charged in error, as happened to me .
I found Homelife Pickering awful to deal with, my first mask did not fit me and practically ruined my 1st tritration to say nothing of the discomfort. They didn't manage to find another one that fitted and refused to give me a refund( cost $250 for a comfort lite). The manager was very unhelpful and extremely unpleasant to deal with about this, so I gave them the machine back and did get refunded for this, but they omitted to cancel the ohip paperwork which caused problems with the next company I went to.
I subsequently got a mask which fitted and a machine from Medigas, they told me that they will charge $75 to fit a mask after this initial OHIP partially covered purchase. I am not sure how good a deal that would be if they only had 1 or 2 you hadn't previously tried. Hope the shoe stores etc. don't get hold of that idea. Anyone else been told about that fee??

I agree that they have to have some compensation for services rendered but do they have to get so carried away with it, the fee charged for equipment seems to be excessive, or do we get the old lack of volume excuse for that.
Seems you pay your money and take your chance whoever you deal with, so may as well avoid the agro of being ripped off if you don't have insurance other than OHIP.

[frapilu]

THEY PAID!!!!! My work's extended health program paid for my apap, heated humidifier, card reader, software, mask and all the other stuff that I bought from cpap.com. Absolutely no ADP involvement because ADP refuses to consider purchases made outside of Ontario. My insurance paid even more than I asked for because I had just put the apap, heated humidifer, card reader, software, mask, shipping and exchange rate on my claim. I didn't charge for the spare white filters nor for the PurSleep aromatherapy stuff I bought because things like that aren't normally covered. I also didn't charge for the whisper cap because I didn't want to delay the claim by having them put it on hold and come back to me to ask "what's a whisper cap" or have them have to consult someone to see if that was covered. However, it looks like they just ignored my claim amount & explanation. They seem to have just taken the total amount of the email order confirmation from cpap.com (US$ 1,167.26) and multiply it by the exchange rate I showed them I was charged on my credit card.

Had I gone the ADP route, I would have been stuck with just a cpap, no card reader and no software. I would have had to bring my card to my DME to have them download it and print the report for me. This way, I can take care of myself. I'm very, very lucky with my company's extended health program and I'm truly grateful.

Yippee

France

[pianomagoo]

buy your equipment in Canada from an authorized Canadian reseller.

If you have to pay out of pocket you will save 2\3 of price by buying at cpap.com in the U.S.

Why pay more than double so businesses in Canada can rip you off? They don't care about your health, only their profit.

I would prefer to buy in Canada if there prices were equivalent to the States, but they are way higher.

Anne

[frapilu]

buy your equipment in Canada from an authorized Canadian reseller.

If you have to pay out of pocket you will save 2\3 of price by buying at cpap.com in the U.S.

Why pay more than double so businesses in Canada can rip you off? They don't care about your health, only their profit.

I would prefer to buy in Canada if there prices were equivalent to the States, but they are way higher.

Anne

Not only is it more expensive in Canada but I was not able to get what I wanted, no matter what. I wanted an apap with a card reader and the software so I could control my own therapy. Not allowed. So my DME was going to charge ADP and me CAD$ 1,480 for a Respironics M series cpap with a heated humdifier. period. I would have to bring the card from my cpap to the DME to have them download it and print up the report. My DME works Monday to Friday from 8 am to about 5 pm. Funny, those are my working hours too so I would have to take time off work for this.

I decided that I was not accepting that crap so on July 25th this year, I ordered the following from cpap.com: M series apap, heated humidifier, card reader, software, whisper cap, extra white filters, a ResMed Quattro full face mask and a basic starter kit of PurSleep aromatherapy stuff. Cost: US$ 1,167.26. At the US exchange my President's Choice master card charged me that day, it cost CAD$ 1,217.14 for quite a bit more stuff and a much better quality machine.

So yes, I would have preferred to buy Canadian but not if they're screwing me and refusing to sell me what I want.

France

[Hawthorne]

frapilu - That's great!!! You must have a very good extended health plan. MIne wouldn't consider it unless it was bought with a claim to the ADP as well. Even then they will pay very little. You're very fortunate! I'm glad for you!

[frapilu]

frapilu - That's great!!! You must have a very good extended health plan. MIne wouldn't consider it unless it was bought with a claim to the ADP as well. Even then they will pay very little. You're very fortunate! I'm glad for you!

Yes, I'm very lucky with the extended health plan. I was actually quite surprised when they said I could do it. I had called, positive that they'd tell me that no, I needed to go through ADP, but I felt I had to at least try. When they said yes, it took me one day to get that order done because I didn't want them to change their minds and I immediately placed my claim as soon as the charge hit my credit card so I could have an exchange rate. I've spent the past month looking at their website every day to see if my claim had been approved because I just couldn't believe it.

Thanks for being goad for me.
France

[mechanicalguy]

Word of advice. Before going to the DME do your own research and make up your mind what machine and mask you should get.
The RMT here had less knowledge than mine gained by going through CPAP.com details. They just want to sell that is it.