Advice on cpap machine purchase

[LeonieX]

Hello folks, asking this question for a friend who is not a member of this forum.

He was told by the DME his cost is $950 for a ResMed Airsense 11 Autoset plus mask. I'm figuring that breaks down to about $800 for the machine and $150 for the mask. He has a really high deductible so that's as good as it gets through insurance. He has to pay $400 up front and the rest in monthly payments.

Would he be better off buying a used machine of an older model? I really don't know how much those are going for to give him advice. Or is it worth it to make the investment with a brand new machine?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Leonie

[Pugsy]

First of all...that is a very fair price for the ResMed AirSense 11 AutoSet. That model machine is demanding prime dollar nowadays.
Also buying from a DME brick and mortar store will likely open up whatever mask exchange policy they might have.
While not impossible to find the "right" mask on the first try it is more likely someone will go through several mask trials before they find the right mask to suit them. Mask experiments are expensive.
Most mask manufacturers offer a 30 day free exchange period on ANY of their masks but sometimes the DMEs will tell people they get only one exchange. So it's best to ask exactly what mask exchange policy a DME might offer.

Now in reality a person doesn't have to buy a machine from a DME to make use of the mask supplying potential but DMEs are more likely to be helpful for patients who have bought a machine from them.
Again ask up front. There's no law that says a person has to buy a machine from a supplier to use insurance to get masks...but DMEs sometimes make up their own rules and it's legal.
My own DME.....I called them up and said "I have my own machine and want to use insurance for masks...will you help me" and the response was "sure, we don't care if you didn't get a machine from us...we will supply masks"...that's the preferred response. They also offered "to help with the machine if I had a problem and they didn't care where I got it".

So your friend might want to take that into consideration when making his/her decision.

Also...there are online places like cpap.com where you can purchase a mask and if you hate it...you can return it and get your money back. Some restrictions apply so be sure to read up on the return policy if someone wants to go down that road. It's sure better than going through 5 masks at 100 bucks a pop before finding the right mask and flushing 400 bucks down the toilet.

Since the Respironics recall last June the ResMed machines have been flying out the doors at much higher prices than they used to cost....new or used...both higher.
So a used low hour older machine isn't going to be a whole lot cheaper than the price of 800 to 900 that your friend was quoted. Maybe around $500 for a used ResMed AIrSense 10 AutoSet would be what he would pay IF he could find one.

Pros and cons to either way. Just make sure your friend is aware of both so there are no ugly surprises.

[zonker]

He was told by the DME his cost is $950 for a ResMed Airsense 11 Autoset plus mask.

as the pug owner has said, it's a pretty good price for the reasons she states.

the caveat MAY be how long he has to wait to get it. supply chains and what-have-you.

[KobeT]

I paid $959 for the AirSense 11 Autoset no mask. Next day it went to $1300.

[D.H.]

The problem with going around a high deductible plan is that if (s)he were to have further medical expenses this year, the expenditure would not be counted against the deductible.

[LeonieX]

Thanks Pugsy, zonker, KobeT, and D.H.!
It seems pretty obvious then he should proceed through insurance. Financially his situation sucks either way, but that would be choice with the least risk.

[Pugsy]

Thanks Pugsy, zonker, KobeT, and D.H.!
It seems pretty obvious then he should proceed through insurance. Financially his situation sucks either way, but that would be choice with the least risk.

I think in this situation I would also proceed using insurance even with a high deductible.
The monies paid will count towards the deductible and you never know what the rest of the year will bring.
Also it's not like the DME is wanting 1500 plus for the machine. He's been quoted a very fair price for this newest hard to get machine (at any price). Plus he will have their inventory of masks at his disposal.
He most likely wouldn't save a huge amount of money if he wished to go the second hand route and while the risks are minimal...they are still there. I don't know anywhere out there that a person could find that model machine for less than a grand even without a mask.

Now if we were in November or December and no chance of meeting the deductible or if the DME was really jacking the prices up....maybe a different story.