Did I Get Ripped Off?

[Paulokc]

After my sleep study my Dr sent me to a place to talk to them about a Cpap machine. They wouldn't give me any information over the phone as to how much a machine would cost or what kind it was or anything.
I ended up with a Resmed Airsence 10 for $1500.00 I look online and see them for about $890.00.
How should I have handled this. They are always calling me wanting to sell me things like a new mask and filters and so on.

Thanks

[katestyles]

Are you insured?

Insurance pays a single fixed price for all machines, and your payments to the store count against your co-pay/deductible.

If you are working without insurance then you probably would have been better off buying elsewhere.

DME stores are imfamous for not always being completely transparent or truthful.

[Dog Slobber]

Typically, brick and mortar can't come close to online prices. This is true for most items.

With brick and mortar, you also get some consultation, mask fitting, trying multiple masks, instructions, etc. This all has a cost. You also contribute to the local economy and job market.

Having said that, I do think that a lot of DMEs take advantage of their position, inflate prices, questionable practises, a lot of insurance providers don't deal with online vendors.

For many of us the first machine is through brick and mortar, future machines and supplies online.

[Rexlan]

Sure sounds like it. Supporting local is fine but getting the shaft is NOT.

I thought the MSRP on that unit was about $750. You can buy as many as you want for $599.
The one with the autoset and the air line has a MSRP of $749 and can be bought for $649.
Throw in another $120 for a mask of choice.


$1,500 is just wrong IMHO and well beyond a reasonable profit for services rendered. I would run from that DME. I would also tell your Dr. to quit referring unless of course there is some financial interest involved.

[NoOnesPerfect]

To be fair to the DME, $1450 USD is the MSRP for that machine. That’s the same thing hospitals and doctors do - people paying cash pay a ridiculous amount for services, while insurance companies, while still being gouged, pay a lot less. I wonder if the DME would be open to haggling or negotiating over the price for uninsured people.

Edit: I got the MSRP from a number of websites that sell the machine for closer to $600-700.

[LSAT]

After my sleep study my Dr sent me to a place to talk to them about a Cpap machine. They wouldn't give me any information over the phone as to how much a machine would cost or what kind it was or anything.
I ended up with a Resmed Airsence 10 for $1500.00 I look online and see them for about $890.00.
How should I have handled this. They are always calling me wanting to sell me things like a new mask and filters and so on.

Thanks

Ask them to take it back. Tell them you are going to buy one on line. See if they will negotiate. By all means, buy your supplies on line...Big savings. You do not need to replace items as often as the DME tells you.

[Julie]

And make sure you get an auto machine vs plain Cpap because autos can do cpap (same insurance code/price) but plain Cpaps don't do auto which of course gives you more treatment optionsl

Also you want a good data capable machine, not something that only has its own small program.

[Paulokc]

It was the top of the line I'm sure. It says Auto on it. I like the machine I just don't like paying to much. What gets me is they see how much I use my machine online and call me and try to get me to replace this and that after ripping me off.

[Dan_McD]

Are you insured?

Insurance pays a single fixed price for all machines, and your payments to the store count against your co-pay/deductible.

If you are working without insurance then you probably would have been better off buying elsewhere.

DME stores are imfamous for not always being completely transparent or truthful.

*
X2

[Pugsy]

Tell them to put you on a do not call list...that you will call them if you need or want something.

If you do need or want something and have insurance that will pay a portion of the cost then give them a call.
If you do not have insurance or you have a really high deductible that you won't ever meet...shop around online because often you can save a lot of money buying those other supplies on line.

[Dan_McD]

It was the top of the line I'm sure. It says Auto on it. I like the machine I just don't like paying to much. What gets me is they see how much I use my machine online and call me and try to get me to replace this and that after ripping me off.

My DME tried to add $700 for the Humidifier on top of the CPAP itself. I noticed on my insurance monthly statement that they had never been charged for the humidifier. I questioned the DME..... all of a sudden the monthly humidifier co-pay charges were dropped. Go figure! I never buy anything from them unless it is covered by United and I only have my 20% co-pay. I buy a lot of stuff off Ebay. Original equipment, brand name, ResMed, Repironics etc. Half the cost and sometimes better than that.

EDIT: If you are paying out of pocket and you don't have to satisfy usage to an insurance company, I'd pull that modem so that they can't see your activity. None of their beezwax. That's just me tho'. If you have an SD Card your doctor can see what he needs to see off of that.

[Rexlan]

It was the top of the line I'm sure. It says Auto on it. I like the machine I just don't like paying to much. What gets me is they see how much I use my machine online and call me and try to get me to replace this and that after ripping me off.

Easy to disable the modem; viewtopic/t104578/Semipermanently-disab ... se-10.html
Would be nice if a way to change either the machine ID or the programmed number if there is one.

Also airplane mode is only temporary and as soon as it is enabled again it will send ALL of the data.

[palerider]

To be fair to the DME, $1450 USD is the MSRP for that machine. That’s the same thing hospitals and doctors do - people paying cash pay a ridiculous amount for services, while insurance companies, while still being gouged, pay a lot less. I wonder if the DME would be open to haggling or negotiating over the price for uninsured people.

Edit: I got the MSRP from a number of websites that sell the machine for closer to $600-700.

You cannot say that without knowing which of the *FOUR* different Resmed Airsense 10 machines the OP got.

[palerider]

It was the top of the line I'm sure. It says Auto on it. I like the machine I just don't like paying to much. What gets me is they see how much I use my machine online and call me and try to get me to replace this and that after ripping me off.

What *exactly* does it say?

[Paulokc]

AirSense 10 AutoSet