New Resmed S9 and Lincare

[Musical63]

Just spoke with Lincare in Seattle area and was told they no longer carry the Resmed pap machines. Just wondered if anyone else has had this happen. My other choice is to go to Apria or purchase without going through insurance.

[9forus]

Is that the only brand you will consider? What choices do they offer?

[Musical63]

They only offer the PR system 1. I have been on the s9 for 4 years. My husband is a light sleeper so I need the quietest possible.

[Pugsy]

Yes...some DMEs are no longer willing to supply anything from ResMed...machines ( which typically wholesale at a considerable higher price than Respironics or the others), masks, whatever because if they don't buy machines....they don't get a special price deal on masks...so they don't make as much money if they buy a ResMed mask and sell it to you for what your insurance will pay or let you be charged. Better deals come with bulk pricing and that includes bulk machine pricing which bleeds over to the other ResMed supplies.
Some of those "special" price deals were real lucrative...like hugely reduced wholesale price on newly released masks within a certain time period.

My DME switched from ResMed to Respironics machines. They push the Respironics masks really hard but so far they will supply the popular ResMed masks...like the Swift FX or the new AirFit P10 and maybe some of the others but that's the ones I know about.
They tried to get me to go with the Respironics GoLife nasal pillows instead of the Swift FX when I was using it but didn't fight me when I declined.
By their own admission they got a better deal from Respironics so that's why the push for Respironics masks now.
For now they are continuing to stock some limited ResMed products. Not all DMEs are willing to do that nor will they special order for a person.

I suspect your DME got a better wholesale price on the Respironics machines/equipment and that's why the switch.
To them it just makes more sense because they pay less for it and get the same dollars from insurance since insurance don't care what brand you get or how much the DME paid for it. It's all about the bottom dollar for profit margin.

[Musical63]

I am still getting my Resmed mask, hoses etc from Lincare. That is why I was surprised that they would not get me the s9 auto. They also stated that I would be able to continue getting Resmed supplies because it hey came from the warehouse in Florida.

[9forus]

I have the System 1 Auto and it is virtually silent. My husband doesn't hear it. My 1 year old is in a crib in our room and he never wakes when I turn it on or at all during the night. I was surprised myself at how silent it is.

[WSHenry]

I'm using a PR System 1 (model DS60TS). It's virtually identical in function to the ResMed S9 Autoset. It's also quiet.

[artpenjr]

If you go through Apria, make sure you see the "Run Hrs total" in the "Service" Mode. Apria sold me a used machine as "new" just this past week. They are crooks... JMHO

[Stevoreno_55]

Yes...some DMEs are no longer willing to supply anything from ResMed...machines ( which typically wholesale at a considerable higher price than Respironics or the others), masks, whatever because if they don't buy machines....they don't get a special price deal on masks...so they don't make as much money if they buy a ResMed mask and sell it to you for what your insurance will pay or let you be charged. Better deals come with bulk pricing and that includes bulk machine pricing which bleeds over to the other ResMed supplies.
Some of those "special" price deals were real lucrative...like hugely reduced wholesale price on newly released masks within a certain time period.

My DME switched from ResMed to Respironics machines. They push the Respironics masks really hard but so far they will supply the popular ResMed masks...like the Swift FX or the new AirFit P10 and maybe some of the others but that's the ones I know about.
They tried to get me to go with the Respironics GoLife nasal pillows instead of the Swift FX when I was using it but didn't fight me when I declined.
By their own admission they got a better deal from Respironics so that's why the push for Respironics masks now.
For now they are continuing to stock some limited ResMed products. Not all DMEs are willing to do that nor will they special order for a person.

I suspect your DME got a better wholesale price on the Respironics machines/equipment and that's why the switch.
To them it just makes more sense because they pay less for it and get the same dollars from insurance since insurance don't care what brand you get or how much the DME paid for it. It's all about the bottom dollar for profit margin.

Is it your opinion that CPAP machines sold by Philips Respironics are better machines than those sold by ResMed? Better how? Better built?


Stevoreno_55
MS Gulf Coast
05/15/14

[Pugsy]

Is it your opinion that CPAP machines sold by Philips Respironics are better machines than those sold by ResMed? Better how? Better built?

No, I don't think either one is "better built" at all and in fact have owned and used 2 ResMed S9s (a VPAP Auto and my current S9 Adapt ASV) and more PR S1 machines of various models than I can count but still own a PR S1 660 BiPapPro and a BiPap Auto 760....numerous 560s plus the steal of a deals I have bought from local craigslist and sold to people in need here on the forum.

My personal experience with them...once Respironics came out with the heated hose 60 series machines they totally evened the playing field as IMHO the only real advantage of the S9 over the PR S1 was the heated hose and Respironics finally made up that difference. There are minor pros and cons with either but both brands do a superb job. The man reason I have tended towards the PR S1 line for my own personal use has be cost. I have to buy my machines on the secondary market and Resmed's inflated price hurts my pocketbook too much and they aren't any "better" and I do well with either so I can't justify the expense. If I can get a good deal on a S9...I will do it but they are in hot demand and cost more so price stays up on them even in secondary market.

I think DMEs push the one brand they sell as being the "best" and whatever that brand is most likely happens to be the one they get the best wholesale price on. The "best" is going to be the one that they make the most money on. My own DME did this...changed from ResMed to Respironics and now the Respironics machines are the "best". When I pushed him about it...he admitted...better contract prices on everything and since his office is just a satellite office from a large hospital in a nearby big city that has a big major sleep center...bulk pricing helps their bottom line. He doesn't do the buying himself. He doesn't own the office.

I think some RTs (assuming they don't have a financial interest in the DME business they work for) might have their own personal preference for whatever reason they might have. It's no different than people here on the forum saying the machine they use is the "best" but in reality they have never even tried another brand so they don't really have anything to justify their statement. People push whatever they use because it works well for them...be it mask or machine or whatever.

There are minor pros and cons with any brand cpap/apap/bipap out there. What might be a deal maker for someone else might be a deal breaker for me or someone else. In terms of doing their job...they all pretty much do their jobs well but maybe a feature here or there benefits one person over another a little better.
BTW...I am mainly talking about the 4 main players here....Respironics, ResMed, F & P and Devilbiss. I am not including any of those tiny pint sized "travel" machines here. I only have my own personal opinion about those and that is I wouldn't want one. When I travel I don't want to be using something new that may or may not offer the same level of therapy or the sound of the machine might disrupt my sleep. I need my humidity and I need lots of it or my nasal mucosa get really, really ugly and I am miserable for days just from nasal issues. I don't need to go somewhere on a trip and be miserable. I want to enjoy my trip.

So that's my own personal opinion..worth what anyone pays for it and it's free. I think that the majority of cpap/apap/bipap users could/would probably do well with any of the brands starting out as a newbie with nothing to compare to. I think when someone uses a particular brand and its algorithm for years that they probably would be better off staying with a known product brand but there's also a real good chance they would do just as well with another brand..like you and the S9 loaner you are using. I do well with either myself but there are a few people who think they do better with one brand over another and what they think is important to them because they have actually used both brands. Until someone has actually used a different brand they really can't base any "better" comments on anything. They can say they use so and so but they can't say that they like it better because of so and so if they haven't used another brand to compare anything to. Most people don't get a chance to try a different brand.

I stick with Resmed and Respironics brands in my recommendations because mainly of the data availability since data is a deal breaker or maker for me. I am sure the F & P Icon (that would make a good travel machine IMHO) does a great job but the software for it sucks and I don't care for the data collection that it does as much. The Devilbiss is a great machine I am sure but again getting the data can be costly (need a special attachment that costs extra) and it doesn't flag some data points I find useful.
Besides...since I personally have used both the S9 and the PRS 1 machines....I at least have a working idea what people are talking about when I am trying to help someone. It helps to have personal experience to draw upon.

So...is one "better" than the other? Actually probably no. At least not in terms of how it does its job or even reliability of the product. There's going to be lemons in any brand. Is one brand maybe "better" for a person's individual needs or preferences or wants..yeah most likely that can happen.
Is someone going to like EPR better than Respironics various Flex exhale relief...yeah maybe but that doesn't mean the Flex relief is crap. It's actually very nice. The way it's done feels really, really natural. For people with higher pressure needs like you...I would tend to recommend the S9 because the EPR relief has the potential to feel more like a bilevel machine feels and that's pretty sweet for someone using pressures in the upper teens. They may or may not need it but I always think it is better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it.

Again...minor pros and cons with either brand but nothing that really makes one brand clearly superior to the other brand unless one of those pros or cons is something that is a deal maker or breaker for someone.
For DMEs...they are going to promote the brand that they are currently selling that they got the best deal on because they are in business to make money. Naturally it is the "best".

Oh...in terms of noise...the PR S1 machines aren't any noisier than the S9 machines from my experience. The PR S1 machines have a little noise on inhale...the S9s have a little noise on exhale (those bird calls) and for some people that noise might be a deal breaker or maker with either brand depending on which is more annoying.
Anyone comparing the PR S1 to a jet engine...they need to take that machine back because they are far from being a jet engine. Without hose being attached I compared the blowing of air and motors with both brands...almost totally silent the both of them.

[dadbar1]

I just got the new PR System One and like it a lot. It's reasonably quiet

This is my 4th unit in 13 years; 3 have been from Respironics and 1 from Fisher Paykel. The Respironics units have all worked really well and are tough as nails. I still sometimes travel with my old Remstar unit if I am going to a 3rd world country and need something that will withstand some torture.