New Resmed prices kicked in

[Snoredog]

Here's a comparison from cpap.com (no humidifier):

Resmed S8 Vantage Old price: $634
Resmed S8 Vantage New price: $825

No one to thank but Resmed. I was so encouraged by Resmed's new pricing policy I ordered a new Respironics M series Remstar Auto & Humidifier for $745, just have to check out the new features.

[snoregirl]

Did you see the swift prices?

System $158 (from aprox $114)

Pillows $43 (from I think $30)

Thank goodness I stocked up. After that stuff runs out it is hello comfort lite 2

[Wulfman]

I saw all that stuff yesterday, but was afraid to point it out for fear of incurring the wrath of the ResMad lovers/supporters.

Their stock keeps going down and Respironics keeps going up.

Den

[oldgearhead]

Long live the CL2, HC431, HC432, and the Hybrid!

[sidesleeper]

I always liked the nasal-aire II better than the swift anyway.

[th]

I have a friend who wanted to buy a different mask. He had heard about the Swift and wanted to buy it... I told him to forget it, because they (Resmed) had raise there prices and there were better mask out there for the money. He went on line and ordered the Aura from cpap.com .
th

[Guest4466]

I thought masks and devices fit patients based on OTHER things than price.......

So basically, according to you guys, your therapy simply comes down to price??? Not features? Fit? Leak characteristics? Product reliability?

This whole thing is so ridiculous.

Resmed raised their internet prices wisely to protect brand erosion and because the normal purchase place is in a DME. If DMEs were smart (most arent) they'd simply accept cash purchases and not charge full reimbursement for items to those patients just wanting a "cash and carry" deal.

Boom. Problem solved.

[snoregirl]

My therapy is not based on price guest, however, my feelings on gouging are strong. If the swift was the only mask I could use I would probably plunk down the new price. However, since there are many other choices, I choose to go out of my way to not support a company who chooses to treat their customers like this.

I also detest the current healthcare system that forces people like me to go deal with local DMEs to use insurance money. I detest people who know less than I do lecturing me, making mistakes with setup, trying to force equipment on me I don't want, withholding manuals etc. So your "normal" place to buy equipment is distasteful to me in the first place.

On top of that, my insurance is basically useless after the machine purchase, since next year my deductable resets. I confirmed last week that my masks etc are covered 80% after deductable $618. So essentially I am in the ranks of the uninsurred come January as far as CPAP is concerned. I certainly won't return to Apria and go through that hassle to get a simple mask or hose at 2x to 3x what I could buy for online.

I feel that internet purchasing will only increase. Maybe now the local DME is where most people "normally" purchase, but with ever decreasing health benefits, and more and more people becoming comfortable purchasing online, as well as more and more customers buying their 2nd and 3rd machines as they get older and the technology matures, I feel that we (online customers) will at some point become a quite significant part of the market. And I have a long memory. I will continue to boycott ResMed and tell all my friends the story too.

I do not believe by boycotting this company my therapy will suffer in any way.

I would welcome the day when good, cash prices were offered by local DMEs but I am not "holding my breath", at least not anymore since I have CPAP.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, hose, swift, CPAP, DME

[Wulfman]

Resmed raised their internet prices wisely to protect brand erosion and because the normal purchase place is in a DME.

And by their actions, they're getting what you claim they were trying to protect.
How ironic......

So basically, according to you guys, your therapy simply comes down to price??? Not features? Fit? Leak characteristics? Product reliability?

This therapy is expensive enough as it is. ResMad's pricing was already high. When you think about how little it probably costs to produce the masks and what they're sold for, it boggles the mind. At some price points there ends up being tradeoffs. For many, the quest for the "perfect" mask for THEM can be an expensive undertaking.....and for some of us, we get lucky the first time (or two).

Den

[Guest]

If DMEs were smart (most arent) they'd simply accept cash purchases and not charge full reimbursement for items to those patients just wanting a "cash and carry" deal.

They can't, at least not exactly. Medicare has a "best customer" clause which dictates that the price they are given is the absolute lowest price possible. However, Medicare also dictates the price they will pay for an item. It's a pretty barsackwards system, but that's our government for you.
So since Medicare states that a full face mask is $188.64 if you go to a company that bills Medicare for a Comfort Full, that's the lowest price they can charge you. I am willing to bet a significant sum of money that's the reason the host of this website maintains seperate websites and company names for cpap dot com, billmyinsurance, cpapforseniors, cpap pro and the others.
Most insurance contracts also maintain the same clause, so even if they don't bill Medicare if they bill any insurance they have the same problem. Hence going through billmyinsurance isn't generally any cheaper.
It's pretty stupid but it's the system we have right now.

[snoregirl]

Two Local DME "companies" with office in the same building. I am sure they could work it out if they tried.

Problem solved

[Guest]

Two Local DME "companies" with office in the same building. I am sure they could work it out if they tried.

Problem solved

I think that would be a way bad idea. Trust me the government takes a realllllllllly dim view of people who try to circumvent the law. Plus the fact that the companies would be inspected every year by JCAHO and the random visits from CMS and other agencies who inspect physical facilities and that would just be begging for a nice big fat Medicare Fraud case.

[Bones]

I don't base my therapy on price, but I damn sure base where I buy on price. My insurance at work covers 1 mask a year. I have been through several masks trying to find the right one for me, all but 1 out of pocket. Mask prices here in Canada are outrageous. $165 Cdn for a comfortgel, $265 Cdn for an ultramirage FF. $210 Cdn for a flexifit 431. Those prices are at the lowest priced online site I can find in this country. At my homecare, an activa is $290. Bear in mind that the Canadian dollar is running about 90 cents U.S.
I bought that flexift fron cpap.com and paid 30 bucks for second day delivery. Add the dollar coversion and I still saved 60 bucks. We couldn't get resmed stuff shipped here from the U.S. in any case.
You can bet your eyeteeth that when I upgrade my machine it will come from an online dealer in the U.S.

Brian

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, activa, cpap.com

[Guest]

Will anyone be meeting with Resmed representatives at the Patient Sleep Conference this month. It is easier to ignore emails than a patient standing in front of you.
This might be THE chance to be heard by upper level management.

[Guest]

I toyed with the idea, but think it is unlikely the Resmed reps there will be anything more than lowly sales people.