CPAP Warrantee Service

[sronsen]

I recall recently reviewing a thread comparing the reliability of Resmed and Respironics machines on this forum. There seemed to be a consensus that the Resmed units exhibited higher build quality and fewer failures compared with Respironics. My last three machines were Resmeds and I never had any issues with them. In fairness, my first machine was a Respironics, which I used for ten years without issues, but that was a far simpler and less sophisticated unit than my S7, S8, S9 and Airsense 10 autosets. Interestingly, no comments raised issues about each company's warrantee repair service.

My 11 month old Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset failed to restart a while ago after stopping when I removed and replaced my mask with auto start/stop engaged. The display was lighted, but no action would start the motor or affect the display. The following morning I contacted my DME (assigned by Medicare). They had to get my serial number and request Resmed to confirm the warrantee coverage, which took 2 days. Long story short: I've been waiting over a month for my unit to be repaired under warrantee. After having the machine at their repair facility for 26 days (after confirmations and shipping), I was informed today that it had not yet been "evaluated". Forget that this is a piece of life-sustaining medical equipment. This timeline isn't acceptable for a dishwasher!

My DME's preferred brand is Rdspironics, but they provided my requested Resmed unit under Medicare without objection. They say that their experience with Respironics is that the great majority of machines returned for warrantee claims are fully replaced with new units within a couple of days as repair costs usually exceed the manufacturer's build cost.

What's been your experience with warrantee repairs? Does anyone know what, if any, service response obligations Medicare places on CPAP equipment manufacturers?

[chunkyfrog]

Keep all the paperwork.
If the bozos let the warranty expire--somebody can still be held responsible.
Now you know the value of a backup unit.
Hopefully, your dealer has a loaner for you.
It is THEIR JOB to cover their products.

[nanwilson]

I had to get my Respironics machine (almost 3 years old) fixed under warranty..... I called the DME and explained the sound of grinding that was coming from my machine. She called me within an hour and told me that they were sending me a brand new machine via fed-ex that day and as soon as I received it I was to return my old machine in the same box. I did exactly that and had my new machine the next day..... you can't expect better service from Respironics than that!!!!!!! Thank you I will stay with Respironics and have been using their product for 10 years.

Cheers
Nan

[LSAT]

I recall recently reviewing a thread comparing the reliability of Resmed and Respironics machines on this forum. There seemed to be a consensus that the Resmed units exhibited higher build quality and fewer failures compared with Respironics. My last three machines were Resmeds and I never had any issues with them. In fairness, my first machine was a Respironics, which I used for ten years without issues, but that was a far simpler and less sophisticated unit than my S7, S8, S9 and Airsense 10 autosets. Interestingly, no comments raised issues about each company's warrantee repair service.

My 11 month old Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset failed to restart a while ago after stopping when I removed and replaced my mask with auto start/stop engaged. The display was lighted, but no action would start the motor or affect the display. The following morning I contacted my DME (assigned by Medicare). They had to get my serial number and request Resmed to confirm the warrantee coverage, which took 2 days. Long story short: I've been waiting over a month for my unit to be repaired under warrantee. After having the machine at their repair facility for 26 days (after confirmations and shipping), I was informed today that it had not yet been "evaluated". Forget that this is a piece of life-sustaining medical equipment. This timeline isn't acceptable for a dishwasher!

My DME's preferred brand is Rdspironics, but they provided my requested Resmed unit under Medicare without objection. They say that their experience with Respironics is that the great majority of machines returned for warrantee claims are fully replaced with new units within a couple of days as repair costs usually exceed the manufacturer's build cost.

What's been your experience with warrantee repairs? Does anyone know what, if any, service response obligations Medicare places on CPAP equipment manufacturers?

You are showing an AirStart 10 machine in your profile....is that what you have or is it the AirSense 10 that you mention in your post?

[Okie bipap]

When my machine failed, I called my DME (12 miles away). He said to bring the machine in and they would check it for me. They confirmed it would not work, and swapped it out for me right then. There was no sending it in for evaluation. Both of our machines are now out of warranty and I don't know if I would get the same service today, so we each have a spare machine in case the primary one dies and has to be sent in.

[sronsen]

I just got an email, 28 days after returning my Airsense Autoset 10 for warrantee repair. The DME quoted Resmed as, "After a performance test, the complaint of Smart Start was not confirmed. The unit was fully calibrated, tested and will be returned. Due to the result of the evaluation, we are unable to process a replacement order for this device. The device is being returned to you at no cost."

The DME noted that Resmed "expedited" their action after they screamed after 26 days about the inaction. What can I say. My complaint was not Smart Start. The damn thing tuned off and I was never able to get it running again. The fact that, after a 3 day shipping journey they couldn't replicate the problem is not unusual when one is dealing with surface-mount electronics.

This simply stinks. The warrantee is effectively worthless if this is indicative of Resmed's performance. How well am I supposed to sleep, waiting for the unit to shutdown without warning or reason?

[babydinosnoreless]

I just got an email, 28 days after returning my Airsense Autoset 10 for warrantee repair. The DME quoted Resmed as, "After a performance test, the complaint of Smart Start was not confirmed. The unit was fully calibrated, tested and will be returned. Due to the result of the evaluation, we are unable to process a replacement order for this device. The device is being returned to you at no cost."

The DME noted that Resmed "expedited" their action after they screamed after 26 days about the inaction. What can I say. My complaint was not Smart Start. The damn thing tuned off and I was never able to get it running again. The fact that, after a 3 day shipping journey they couldn't replicate the problem is not unusual when one is dealing with surface-mount electronics.

This simply stinks. The warrantee is effectively worthless if this is indicative of Resmed's performance. How well am I supposed to sleep, waiting for the unit to shutdown without warning or reason?

I would suggest that maybe you contact resmed directly. I wonder if the DME is lying to you ?

[sronsen]

I would suggest that maybe you contact resmed directly. I wonder if the DME is lying to you ?

Good question, and that's the reason I started this thread. Wanted to know what kind of warrantee experience others were having with Resmed. My vibe is that the DME is being honest, not that I have any inherent faith in the "profession". I managed to avoid any for 19 years by buying my own equipment and supplies, but Medicare and my supplement pays for all but 1-1/2 masks worth of it. And, after not finding any other local Medicare participating DME willing to so much as return my phone call, they gave me no argument about providing the machine I wanted, even though they're a preferred Respironics dealer. It did take them a week to procure the Resmed, but they were upfront about it. They were expecting Resmed to just send back a new machine upon receipt of my unit. They say that's there experience with Respironics. Can anyone confirm?

[chunkyfrog]

Contact Medicare--something is not right.