Anyone else heard about ResMed stopping Internet sales?

[Fredman]

I have not been here for awhile. On the weekend, I tried to order some Resmed Mirage Activa replacement parts from cpap.com on-line and received an automated message, that Resmed policy does not allow cpap.com to ship Resmed product to Canada.

At first I thought this restriction was for US on-line providers only and quickly found that the Canadian internet suppliers too have been restricted as well.

My gawd...I will have to go to a DME and try to purchase replacement parts. They have in the past have only offered to sell me a complete mask...that was before I found out that I could purchase the replacement parts at a fraction of cost of a whole mask. I have ordered a Respironics Comfort Full 2 Face mask as a back up to my Mirage Activa nasal mask, for those times when I have a cold or experiencing sinus congestion.

I guess if I can not find a reasonable economical solution in regards to purchasing replacement parts versus a complete new mask, I will have to find a new mask. There is something inherently wrong with the system - or at least something wrong with Resmed.

[jnk]

. . . I tried to order some Resmed Mirage Activa replacement parts from cpap.com on-line and received an automated message, that Resmed policy does not allow cpap.com to ship Resmed product to Canada.

At first I thought this restriction was for US on-line providers only and quickly found that the Canadian internet suppliers too have been restricted as well. . . .

Are you saying that Canadian internet suppliers aren't allowed to sell ResMed products to Canadians?

[drj130]

. . . I tried to order some Resmed Mirage Activa replacement parts from cpap.com on-line and received an automated message, that Resmed policy does not allow cpap.com to ship Resmed product to Canada.

At first I thought this restriction was for US on-line providers only and quickly found that the Canadian internet suppliers too have been restricted as well. . . .

Are you saying that Canadian internet suppliers aren't allowed to sell ResMed products to Canadians?

I wouldn't be surprised one bit if that was the case.

[BlackSpinner]

I checked canadian suppliers for my quatro but I couldn't find one that sold just the gasket part. So I ordered a hybrid from our hosts which came last week (In less then a week!!) but I haven't tried it yet - been to busy and too tired to bother with the DVD.

[shambharwani]

I have not been here for awhile. On the weekend, I tried to order some Resmed Mirage Activa replacement parts from cpap.com on-line and received an automated message, that Resmed policy does not allow cpap.com to ship Resmed product to Canada.

At first I thought this restriction was for US on-line providers only and quickly found that the Canadian internet suppliers too have been restricted as well.

I am from India and I enquired with cpap.com for a Resmed machine - it seems only Resmed have restrictions on shipping out of the US, they told me they could ship any of the other brands. BTW the same Resmed machine costs approx 2.5 times more than what cpap.com charges so they (Resmed) probably want to restrict shipments to be able to charge different prices in different markets.

[Fredman]

I have not been here for awhile. On the weekend, I tried to order some Resmed Mirage Activa replacement parts from cpap.com on-line and received an automated message, that Resmed policy does not allow cpap.com to ship Resmed product to Canada.

At first I thought this restriction was for US on-line providers only and quickly found that the Canadian internet suppliers too have been restricted as well.

I am from India and I enquired with cpap.com for a Resmed machine - it seems only Resmed have restrictions on shipping out of the US, they told me they could ship any of the other brands. BTW the same Resmed machine costs approx 2.5 times more than what cpap.com charges so they (Resmed) probably want to restrict shipments to be able to charge different prices in different markets.

Certainly, myself being a bit of cynic would think so. My current set up (Remstar Auto, HH, mask, hose, carrying case) cost a total of $2,500 Cdn from a DME about 4 years ago. When I priced it out a couple of years back it was at least half the cost or even less. I can't remember the actual figure.

I actually should clarify, I don't have any proof that Resmed is not allowing Canadian suppliers to sell on-line. I just can't find any of them selling Resmed products....nada, zilch, zero....so bit of assumption which I could end up wearing egg on my face!

[OneCatBelleSundance]

leegbgt -- you said Companies are not allowed to bill less than Medicare for non-Medicare patients. This is flat out false. We live in a free market society and DMEs can and do bill non-Medicare patients anything they want. Since Medicare pays a mostly reasonable price for the equipment most DMEs charge everyone else more. The law is related only to what is billed to Medicare patients. Geez!!!!

With that said my whole sleep study and CPAP purchase was an amazing experience and since I work for an insurance company I consider myself a smart consumer of medical treatment. Sure learned that I'm not a smart as I thought. The DME I was directed to by the sleep center was across the hall in the same clinic building. The RT opened up at 6:30 in the morning to "get" the patients coming out of the sleep center. The sleep center walked the prescriptions across the hall to the DME. When asked by the sleep center which DME I wanted to use and mentioned another large company in Des Moines the sleep center said I could but put up barriers. Since I wanted my machine that day I went to the one across the hall. Also, I have good insurance and knew that most of the cost would be covered. Now is that a smart consumer? Fitted for a mask? The RT put one on me and I said it worked okay. The RT also told me they didn't have the mask that had been used in my sleep study. Now, I find that hard to believe. Luckily, the Opus nasal pillow is working for me.

A couple of weeks ago I called the DME about replacement filters and a new nasal pillow. DME could mail me filters right out but no nasal pillow. Nope, I got the same 6 month mask replacement spiel that someone else mentioned. So, I went to CPAP.com and ordered filters, two nasal pillows and a hose cover. My insurance won't cover my on-line purchase but I don't care as it was worth it to avoid the idiocy of the DME.

As for compliance. I wear my mask every night as I feel better than I have in years.

[jnk]

. . . Canadian suppliers to sell on-line. I just can't find any of them selling Resmed products....nada, zilch, zero . . .

Scary!

Since I am sure the brick-and-mortar DMEs would love it to be that way in the U.S. too, and with all brands of machines, I wonder how long before that happens in the U.S. then?

jeff

[ScrappinMom]

leegbgt -- you said Companies are not allowed to bill less than Medicare for non-Medicare patients. This is flat out false. We live in a free market society and DMEs can and do bill non-Medicare patients anything they want. Since Medicare pays a mostly reasonable price for the equipment most DMEs charge everyone else more. The law is related only to what is billed to Medicare patients. Geez!!!!

No, the law is not related only to what is billed to Medicare patients. It covers any provider that deals with Medicare. Billing Medicare higher than non-Medicare is considered abuse.

IOM Publication 100-1 Chapter 1 Section 20.3.2 – Definition and Examples of Abuse – includes the following
Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Charging in excess for services or supplies;

· Providing medically unnecessary services or services that do not meet professionally recognized standards;

· Billing Medicare based on a higher fee schedule than for non-Medicare patients;

· Submitting bills to Medicare that are the responsibility of other insurers under the Medicare secondary payer (MSP) regulation; and

· Violating the participating physician/supplier agreement.
Although these types of practices may initially be categorized as abusive in nature, under certain circumstances they may develop into fraud if there is evidence that the subject was knowingly and willfully conducting an abusive practice.

I know exactly what I am talking about; I worked for Medicare for 20 years. GEEZ!!!!!

[ScrappinMom]

By the way, just because DMEs do it, doesn't mean it's legal. As a whole, I would say DMEs are the most unscrupulous type of provider there is.

[Slinky]

What about the funeral business, ScrappinMom??

[ScrappinMom]

What about the funeral business, ScrappinMom??

Well, they are, too, but I was specifically thinking of medical & related providers.

[Terminator]

I'm stocking up some.... I now have 4 new swift masks squirreled away just in case they do succeed in closing off the imports. I also have two low hour RemStar Autos; one in use and one back-up. Think maybe I'll get a third...