Maintenace charges for machine

[hugho]

Apria is now charging every 6 months for "maintenance" of my CPAP. Does everyone get this? After insurance this comes out to $58 and change. So total cost of machine after insurance is way more than it would cost if I just bought it. ie 13 x 58 + 2X 58 x 4 years

[nanwilson]

Maintenance on the machine itself????? What do they do to it, do you they even see it? Looks like another scam to me. No DME has seen or touched my machine in the 3 years I have had it....as a matter of fact, I refuse to use a DME as a provider. I am my own health advocate along with the great folks here, and buy my supplies wherever I can get them the cheapest.

[big_dave]

Apria is now charging every 6 months for "maintenance" of my CPAP. Does everyone get this? After insurance this comes out to $58 and change. So total cost of machine after insurance is way more than it would cost if I just bought it. ie 13 x 58 + 2X 58 x 4 years

You're being scammed. The only maintenance required is periodic replacement of the filter, humidifier chamber, and hose--which are user-serviceable, and should not generate a maintenance fee. You should call your insurance company to dispute the charges.

[chunkyfrog]

Sears has offered maintenance contracts in the past (basically repair insurance)
on electronic items sold elsewhere. Why not your blower?
Might be worth checking into (if they even do it any more)
Or just save up for the replacement. (I'm doing that)

[Wulfman...]

Apria is now charging every 6 months for "maintenance" of my CPAP. Does everyone get this? After insurance this comes out to $58 and change. So total cost of machine after insurance is way more than it would cost if I just bought it. ie 13 x 58 + 2X 58 x 4 years

It's a $$$ scam. Been going on for years targeting those who are gullible enough to fall for it.
As mentioned, the only "maintenance" is cleaning or changing filters and if you use distilled water in your humidifier tank, just a quick dump, rinse and refill once in a while will take care of that. (and, I doubt that a user would even take their humidifier tank with them for "maintenance" anyway)


Den

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[LSAT]

[Janknitz]

I believe there is a maintenance charge, covered by Medicare, IF the DME actually does anything for your machine. But a maintenance charge you just have to pay "in case" your machine needs anything? I don't think so.

So has the DME done ANYTHING to warrant the charge--i.e. have you bring it in for a checkup and any minor repairs needed ???

If not, you are being scammed. Contact your insurer, and if your insurer is Medicare, then file a claim for fraud. Likewise your private insurer.

[Randyp1234]

Lincare just dropped that one on me too. I never talked to them but my insurance people had just checked into that for another client and they explained it as an extended warranty kind of thing.

[howkim]

Are you sure it's not your insurance? I had to get a new machine recently. When I went to pick it up, I had to give them back the old machine and it was made absolutely clear to me that my insurance (Aetna) NEVER buys the machines, but after the initial period, puts them on long term rental, with a "maintenance" fee paid every 6 months. I spoke with the local manager who seemed to have been perfectly happy to let me have the old machine, but that it had to be returned to the manufacturer. Seriously p****d me off.

[hugho]

I complained to my insurance - Aetna and they claimed it was legitimate!, Of course with my annual deductible I end up paying it not them %&*$#

[howkim]

I complained to my insurance - Aetna and they claimed it was legitimate!, Of course with my annual deductible I end up paying it not them %&*$#

Did you ask them about whether you will own the machine? I bet they'd say they're just renting.

[danielqk]

The most important of maintenance is vacumm calibration, 10 cm H2O in last year may be 9 cmH2O today.
In US manufacturing industry every pumps need to be calibrated yearly.

[greatunclebill]

you need to pack up the machine and return it to them. inform them in writing with an info to aetna that they got greedy and now they get nothing. then get a new prescription from the doctor and buy a machine.

i would also send your question to aetna about the charges in writing to the corporate offices to make sure some clerk on the phone wasn't talking out of their butt. make aetna give it to you in writing.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I was told about a year ago (when I noticed this) by Aetna, that "you never really completely own the machine" and that the charge was in the way of maintenance.

This didn't bother me much at the time, but now that I've spent several months trying to get Apria to do a firmware upgrade on my machine unsuccessfully, I'm beginning to wonder, what the heck is that charge supposed to cover?

[archangle]

The most important of maintenance is vacumm calibration, 10 cm H2O in last year may be 9 cmH2O today.
In US manufacturing industry every pumps need to be calibrated yearly.

I don't think anyone on here who checked with a manometer has ever found their CPAP machine was delivering a pressure that was off enough to matter. It's not like + or - 10% or so is going to make a big difference.

Everyone should be monitoring their AHI anyway and adjust up and down as necessary. As long as the AHI is good, who cares if the display reads 10 or 11?