Local medical supply pricing?

[Varhalla]

Hello everyone. Just recently had a sleep study and came to find out I needed a CPAP machine. The Dr., called a local medical supply company that does these things and apparently my insurance isn't going to pay a dime. They want to charge me almost $1200 to provide the CPAP, humidifier and mask. I was told there were many online options for purchasing equipment. Would that be a wise choice? My only concern is ordered a mask online and it not fitting properly. However, if the respiratory therapist came and set everything up they would find a mask that fit before they left that day. I'm just unsure of how I should go about purchasing this. Any of you guys have the same experience or know someone who has, or any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[LSAT]

Our host...cpap.com...can provide you with a top of the line machine and humidifier for half of what your local supplier can.
They can help you pick a mask and they have return insurance available. Your local supplier may try to put you in a low end product.

[Varhalla]

They said themselves it was the "cheapest" they offered. I guess it would be wise for me to call and get the brand names and model numbers of the equipment they are offering.

[Pugsy]

You can buy a machine online and get your mask supplies from a local supplier. Nothing says you have to buy a machine from them to get your masks from them.

What machine and model was it that they quoted $1200 for? Assuming you are needing the regular cpap/apap machine, You can get a top of the line Respironics PR S1 APAP for $650 or so.
A top of the line S9 AutoSet for around $1100. Both from our forum host cpap.com.

Model number or name is very important when evaluating machines.

If they were going to supply a Resmed S9 AutoSet for $1200...that would be a fair deal from them but I bet it wasn't going to be that model. I bet it was going to be a S9 Escape...basic model and only data it collects is hours of use.

You might want to read this about full data machines so you know what I am talking about when I talk about full efficacy data vs compliance hours of use data. Just because a machine has a SD card in it doesn't mean it collects full data.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

Personally I would stick with either the Respironics PR S1 brand or the ResMed S9 when evaluating what I want.
Both have easy to obtain and use software.
If money is tight...go with the Respironics PR S1 machine (make sure you know which model does what). The S9 is nice but not $500 worth of nicer. They both are excellent machines. I happen to own both brands in the bilevel model....it's a toss up which one is "best".
When looking at the PR S1 models ....get a 60 series machine that includes the heated hose option feature. You may never need it but it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

[Varhalla]

Well the lady is going to get back to me with exact models, but she said what they offer were Resperonics and ResMed, so we'll have to see when she gets back in touch with me.

[Pugsy]

If insurance isn't going to be paying for masks either, you can buy online and purchase the return insurance. If you hate it you return it and all you are out of pocket is the cost of the insurance.
How much are they going to charge you for a mask..typically online prices for masks run about half of the DME price.

Can you normally breathe through your nose just fine during the day or do you have chronic congestion for various reasons?
If you can normally breathe through your nose during the day...consider a nasal pillow mask like I use (click on the link in my profile to see it). Nasal pillow masks are just less on the face, easier to get and keep a good seal and just in general easier to deal with.
For newbies I would suggest either the Swift FX that I use or the Aloha. Maybe the Pilairo if you have a small head.
The Aloha is probably a little more stable than the FX. I have used it myself and it ranks right up there a close second to the Swift FX.

If you are a major mouth breather due to bad nasal congestion that you can't clear up...then you will need a full face mask of some sort. I pretty much have zero experience with them so others would have to advise you but I would lean towards the Innomed/Respcare Hybrid if I was going to do the full face mask thing. It uses nasal pillows (so nothing over the bridge of the nose) and an interface to cover the mouth. Again somewhat less area to have to fiddle with to get a good seal.

The Swift FX can be found on EBay...divided up into parts but often one can build their own mask from the replacement parts for about half the online price. Send me a private message if that interests you and I will explain what will be needed.
Not all masks can be found on EBay though. Replacement parts don't require a RX for purchase...entire mask setups do require a RX so EBay sellers list the parts separately to get around that restriction. I once saw a Swift FX headgear and short hose sell for $35. All that was needed was a nasal pillow.

Oh, the Swift FX has the Bella Loops that shows in my profile but they also have a more traditional headgear available.
I use the loops about half the time and use the traditional headgear the other time. There are advantages to both.
The loops take more tweaking to get them just right but when they are just right...like not having anything on your face at all.

If you think you are going to go the full face mask route...look through the full face masks to see what looks like you maybe could use it and get some ideas. You will find that with masks one persons treasure is another persons trash. What works great for me you might hate. What might work great for you...I might hate.

[Pugsy]

$1200 for a PR System One machine...way over priced. You can get this one from cpap.com and it is the top of the line in cpap/apap machines.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-sys ... -tube.html
for a whole lot less, you will need to call them for an exact quote but I think it is around $650 to $700. I don't remember exactly.
That would include the heated hose humidifier option.
This one would be the 560 model.

The 460 model would do a good job but it is only about $100 less I think. It has part time APAP mode available but I know how to make it a full time APAP mode.

CPAP mode...single straight fixed pressure is all that it will do
APAP mode...single pressure that will auto adjust as it senses the need to

Machines that are APAP machines..like the 560...also have CPAP mode available...so 2 machines in 1.
Not everyone needs or wants APAP mode but again it's one of those things that might be needed or wanted and best to have it and not need it thing.

If the S9 Autoset strikes your fancy....it's a great machine....again an APAP machine with 2 modes available and again the straight CPAP mode machine called the Elite is only about $100 less.
The exhale relief on it is different from the exhale relief on the PR S1 machines. Not necessarily better...just different.

[cosmo]

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[Julie]

I agree!

[Tino2You]

Also there is Craigslist if you want to go that route. Just be very careful and very sure of what you are getting.
-tino

[chunkyfrog]

There is also secondwindcpap.com, for reconditioned gently used, and open box machines at comparable prices.
From Cpap.com, the cloth Sleepweaver masks (both styles) have 30 days free return insurance.
Sometimes they have specials on other masks as well.

[Janknitz]

Be wary of getting the machine from your local supplier. For $1200 they are likely to stick you with what we commonly refer to as a "brick"--a machine without data capability. For more infromation, see my blog post "What you need to know BEFORE you meet your DME". While you don't have insurance, you're even more of a sitting duck, as they will sell you the cheapest stuff possible and take a lot of money for it.

As for masks, it IS worth it to use a local DME for your first mask. Make sure the DME has a good return policy (return the mask within 30 days for another, ad infinitum until you find a mask that works well for you). Once you have settled on your "forever" mask, then you can mailorder to save money, unless the DME is willing to price match for you (some are).

[khauser]

560 apap pricing

Yes and no. The prices change. Often. Sometimes the web site is behind.

I just ordered and received the 560 including the heated tub humidifer + Aloha Mask + DC Cord for just over 800.

The 560 cost $519, and the Heated Tube Humidifer tacked on $128, so $647 for the two of them.

EXCELLENT customer service, and fast too. I highly recommend them.

My last experience with the local DME was so distasteful that I went in this direction. Now I owe the DME a thank you for being so awful! LOL

[idamtnboy]

Hello everyone. Just recently had a sleep study and came to find out I needed a CPAP machine. The Dr., called a local medical supply company that does these things and apparently my insurance isn't going to pay a dime.

Have you verified that directly w/ the insurance company? If that is the case do you know why? Is it within your deductible, or do they not cover durable medical equipment, or do they need more info from the doctor before they pay?

Don't roll over until you know for certain what the ins co position and reasons are. You may have an appeal option available.

[sparky2]

I just got a machine a couple of weeks ago through the DME at the sleep clinic. It cost (mostly my insurance company) over $1600. I got a quote online for $650 or so. This was for the same machine including the heated humidifier except it included the heated hose upgrade. The only good thing is that is that if I need BiPAP or ASV which it looks as though I might, I can just exchange the machines. I think they said my insurance company insists that I "rent to buy" or some such.