Laid off no more insurance

[OzarkTurtle]

After being employed at the same place for 18 years I was downsized and lost my job as well as my insurance. Ive been on CPAP for 5 months and since my insurance is no longer paying I need to try to purchase a machine somewhere. I currently use a Resmed S8 Elite II, are there any places to get a machine at a reasonaable price. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Goofproof]

Get your prescript, CPAP.COM has new units or Their auction site might have something, you might check the Goodwill store too, just remember when buying used it's buyer beware, and if you get one that collects useful data, you can get the software and reader, and take control yourself. Jim

[Snoredog]

yeah that is the problem with that Rent-to-Own crap them insurance companies force down on you. They should make those bastards buy your machine when you get laid off.


I recommend:

1. Go to CPAP.com and buy a Sandman Auto, use your current script,
2. Return the S8 back to the DME as they will be charging you several hundred per month for it.
3. When you get another job buy the software for the machine.

Need any meds for hypertension? Talk to your doctor about Lisinopril, it will dilate your blood vessels,
works better than lasix and if you get your script filled at walmart you can get a 3-month supply for $10 bucks no insurance.

Got any medical savings at your old job? You should be able to retrieve that before years end, you could buy the machine and
submit the invoice to that savings account and at least that wouldn't be lost.

You don't need to be hand-held by your Sleep doc, just obtain and keep copies of your PSG and keep the original of any script.

Been without insurance here now about 3 years, and to be honest with you the money I saved in premiums and wasted doctor visits I can buy a brand new top-of-the-line machine every year and still be money ahead.

Get to know CPAP.com, these guys are your friend, been buying from them for nearly 8 years with more than a dozen machines and they have treated me right every time.

[ca_hosehead]

http://www.craigslist.org always has listings for used CPAP machines.

The failure rate for people on cpap is somewhere around 50%, this means there are a ton of unused machines out there.

[echo]

Here's the link to cpapauction: http://cpapauction.com/
You need a script on file with them to buy a machine (they are run by cpap.com).

Just make sure you get a data-capable machine. You may want to go for an APAP (like snoredog said the Sandman auto) or CPAP but in the end just make sure it's data capable. I use the 420E (predecessor of the sandman) and I think it's a fantastic little machine, has easy to use software, no card reader, (serial cable connector to computer), and it's the cheapest APAP there on the market.

I'm really sorry to hear about the lay-off. That really sucks, how they can do that when people have put in so many good years I'll never understand.

[luke]

That's why I bought mine and bypassed insurance.
It would have put me at risk of paying Apria's inflated prices if i get laid off.

(10 bucks for 3 months supply of Lisinipril at Walmart ? )

Wally World here I come !

Luke

[Snoredog]

That's why I bought mine and bypassed insurance.
It would have put me at risk of paying Apria's inflated prices if i get laid off.

(10 bucks for 3 months supply of Lisinipril at Walmart ? )

Wally World here I come !

Luke

Yep and once you are set up, you can order refills online and if your prescription expires, they will fax over a request for a refill to your doctor, so you don't even have to go see them to get your script renewed.

They send me an email when my script is ready to be picked up. Wally world is not dumb, they know it gets people in the store and I usually end up buying something else while I'm in there.

[OzarkTurtle]

Thanks for all the nice advice everybody.

[freepostg]

Supplies can also add up. Make sure you check cpapauction for those as well. Just a thought.

[Bearded_One]

It may be worth it to get COBRA, it will extend your insurance.

[Goofproof]

It may be worth it to get COBRA, it will extend your insurance.

For most people "COBRA" Bites. I used it to the max once, it took almost $800, a month out of my savings, during a time I was laid off for 5 years. For me it was a savings, but only because the medical bills and med's were over $1800 a month. For most people lives problems don't reach that level. Jim

[Snoredog]

It may be worth it to get COBRA, it will extend your insurance.

For most people "COBRA" Bites. I used it to the max once, it took almost $800, a month out of my savings, during a time I was laid off for 5 years. For me it was a savings, but only because the medical bills and med's were over $1800 a month. For most people lives problems don't reach that level. Jim

yep its a ripoff, mine was going to be $400 a month, then I found BCBS catastrophic coverage for $200 a month with a 7500 deductible, finally I wised up to that waste and tried to remain healthy as I can, take my chances, figure if I have a catastrophic event like a heart attack, I'll show up at the ER like an illegal alien where full coverage is automatic.

[mindy]

Another option - dare I say it? The dreaded "D" word - you might try a DME. Some of them (like mine) take machines that have been returned from rental, clean them up and provide them to people who can't afford one. For these folks, they also given them 2 masks per year and supplies like filters - for no cost.

Mindy

[Babette]

I just found another outlet for folks selling used CPAP equipment:

http://www.youbuysell.com/medical/cpap-systems.htm

Might help!
B.

[stacia123]

(10 bucks for 3 months supply of Lisinipril at Walmart ? )

Wally World here I come !

Yep and once you are set up, you can order refills online and if your prescription expires, they will fax over a request for a refill to your doctor, so you don't even have to go see them to get your script renewed.

You are a fount of information, Snoredog. I'm paying $15/month for Lisinopril. I'm going in to Wal-Mart tomorrow and see if I can transfer my script, that will save over $100/year.