Advice for my Bro-In-Law

[Zomby Woof]

My brother in law was recently diagnosed with SA and prescribed a basic constant pressure sleep therapy machine.

At my suggestion he very clearly requested a device that was "fully data compatible with SleepyHead software".

You can guess the rest. The DME, Ingram Medical in Corpus Christi TX, gave him a Resmed AutoSense10 "CPAP" which is decidedly NOT SH compatible.

He asked to return the machine, and upgrade to the AutoSense10 "AutoSet". He offered to pay an additional fee
to cover the difference in price. On CPAP.com I showed him that the difference in cost was only $125.

Ingram responded with an upgrade fee of $625. Absurd, right?

Alternatively they said they would accept the return of the machine and charge him $120 for the two weeks he's used it. He would keep his mask.

He's willing to pay up to $325 to this DME to make the exchange but they will not budge from $625.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated!

[Pugsy]

What insurance does he have?
He might check directly with his insurance company to see if the upcharge is even legal.
https://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/dont- ... -upcharge/

Some DMEs just like to be hard asses though.
I would be tempted to simply return the machine and go find myself a DME that would give me what I wanted.
The $120....that is what a mask would cost anyway.
But that's me and I tend to cut my nose off to spite my face sometimes I don't know that I would want that DME to have one more dollar of my money if there was anyway I could get out of it.

So while checking with his insurance to see if upcharges are even legal....get a list of DMEs they work with in the area and start calling to see if someone else would be more reasonable.

[RubySnooze]

Who regulates this industry? They seem like a bunch of crooks. We should be filing complaints.

I went through the BBB in Florida to complain about mine and got nowhere. But there must be someone regulating sales of medical equipment (?).

So sorry your BIL is having these issues!

[Sir NoddinOff]

Who regulates this industry? They seem like a bunch of crooks. We should be filing complaints.

I went through the BBB in Florida to complain about mine and got nowhere. But there must be someone regulating sales of medical equipment (?).

So sorry your BIL is having these issues!

As the big fish (nationwide DMEs) eat up the little fish (local DMEs) then it just keeps getting worse and worse. The CPAP equipment manufacturers don't really seem to care either. Currently there's not much consumer control or even input into the DME business model and I don't see much improvement in the future. That's why so many people are buying their machines outright, or online, or from Craigslist. Maybe somebody else has some ideas on how to get some justice or fair play.

[Zomby Woof]

What insurance does he have?
He might check directly with his insurance company to see if the upcharge is even legal.
https://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/dont- ... -upcharge/

Thanks for your comments and the article link Pugsy. I've forwarded it to my BIL.

[Zomby Woof]

Who regulates this industry? They seem like a bunch of crooks. We should be filing complaints.
... there must be someone regulating sales of medical equipment (?).

I agree we should be filing complaints. Figuring out who that would be is the issue.

A local BBB filing is unlikely to make much impact on a national healthcare company.
And here in Texas I know of no consumer rights organizations that would be effective.

Thanks for your comments RubySnooze.

BTW, I like the slippers

[Sticky Fingers]

Who regulates this industry?

The problem is exactly the opposite of what I guess you are thinking. DME industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country and most of their money comes from third parties (insurance companies). You need a license and are subject to audits and the regulatory bureaucracy. As a result, the DMEs respond to the regulators and the insurance companies and not to the final customer.

Deregulate the business and prices will fall, quality will improve and customer service will improve.

[SewTired]

I would tell your BIL to return the machine tomorrow and tell them that they lied and didn't give him the machine he asked for so he will take his business elsewhere.

How he handles the rental issue is up to him. He did have use of a machine for 2 weeks. He needs to be sure to write on the receipt that this ends any further payments regarding this machine and make sure the manager signs it as well.

The problem I see is that DMEs take advantage of people who are so exhausted they can't think well. On the other hand, many DMEs think that all machines are data capable . I made it easy for my DME by stating precisely which machine I wanted right down to model number. My brother's doctor did the same for him.

[PoolQ]

Make sure you know if your machine is a rental, my insurance REQUIRES rental until the machine is paid for. I can return it anytime, they have no say in the matter.

[yaconsult]

It's not a regulatory agency, but I noticed that a DME that I had problems with had many very bad reviews on my local yelp listings. So it may give you some leverage if you check the reviews for yours and make sure they know that you intend to write them a very bad but accurate review of how they have treated you, if they do not do the right thing.

The BBB is great in theory, but they don't seem to have any teeth. But people can look and see how many complaints have been filed against a company at your local BBB. Research this and use the information in your negotiations with them - that they don't need any more complaints unresolved.

I hate, hate, hate companies like this and, like pugsy, would go out of my way to do something about the situation!

When I had my DME problem and couldn't even talk to anyone on the phone who could do anything, I gritted my teeth and drove to their office without an appointment. I was determined to work out any and all issues while I was there - as long as it took. I think they could tell this and before long I was walking out with my new machine. Yes, I had to make some phone calls, have some papers faxed, etc. but I was ready for that and had my cell phone and all the numbers I needed with me.

It's like you have to make "doing the right thing" be the path of least resistance for them.

Best of luck to you and I hope you get the machine you deserve!

[SleepyBeaver]

My brother in law was recently diagnosed with SA and prescribed a basic constant pressure sleep therapy machine.

At my suggestion he very clearly requested a device that was "fully data compatible with SleepyHead software".

You can guess the rest. The DME, Ingram Medical in Corpus Christi TX, gave him a Resmed AutoSense10 "CPAP" which is decidedly NOT SH compatible.

He asked to return the machine, and upgrade to the AutoSense10 "AutoSet". He offered to pay an additional fee
to cover the difference in price. On CPAP.com I showed him that the difference in cost was only $125.

Ingram responded with an upgrade fee of $625. Absurd, right?

Alternatively they said they would accept the return of the machine and charge him $120 for the two weeks he's used it. He would keep his mask.

He's willing to pay up to $325 to this DME to make the exchange but they will not budge from $625.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated!

why is sleepyhead software so important...just asking. I have an A10 autoset and I use sleepyhead to read my data card.

[Pugsy]

why is sleepyhead software so important...just asking. I have an A10 autoset and I use sleepyhead to read my data card.

The AirSense 10 CPAP machine mentioned is unwanted because it has extremely limited data available on it...not because it isn't Sleepyhead compatible. All it shows is generic AHI and hours of use..no event category breakdown, no leak...nothing else.
I don't know if it would work with SleepyHead or not...some of those almost bricks won't work with SH because the files that SH needs aren't available on that machine.
But the main complaint about that machine isn't SH...it's lack of data.

[knothead]

My brother in law was recently diagnosed with SA and prescribed a basic constant pressure sleep therapy machine.

At my suggestion he very clearly requested a device that was "fully data compatible with SleepyHead software".

You can guess the rest. The DME, Ingram Medical in Corpus Christi TX, gave him a Resmed AutoSense10 "CPAP" which is decidedly NOT SH compatible.

He asked to return the machine, and upgrade to the AutoSense10 "AutoSet". He offered to pay an additional fee
to cover the difference in price. On CPAP.com I showed him that the difference in cost was only $125.

Ingram responded with an upgrade fee of $625. Absurd, right?

Alternatively they said they would accept the return of the machine and charge him $120 for the two weeks he's used it. He would keep his mask.

He's willing to pay up to $325 to this DME to make the exchange but they will not budge from $625.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated!

Morning,
I live in Corpus and first used South Texas Medical, a good place to get supplies. I changed insurance (boss did) and all of a sudden I had to use Apria. Go figure...lol. Might give STM a shout to see what they can do for you.