Buying first machine in 4 years - what did I miss!?!?

[ziggytosh]

Hi all,

I have been living overseas and am about to go to Baltimore for a few weeks. While there, I plan to take advantage of the chance to buy a new pap machine for the first time in several years. I'm trying to catch up on developments in the hosehead scene, and wanted to ask a few questions:

- My insurance has a $350 deductible and copay of 30%. I plan to buy my new machine through Johns Hopkins Pharmaquip DME - given the ridiculous amounts insurance companies pay, am I likely to save much buying through Pharmaquip and using insurance (can't find a price list) vs buying it myself through our host?
- My current, rapidly dying machine, is a PR One APAP. I bought it out of pocket and loved it. I got a little jealous when the Resmeds with the fancy humidifier/hose came out. If I understand correctly, the current state of affairs is that a new PR One APAP has a similar heated hose system AND the option of a Bluetooth dongle to share data with iOS and android. So features between the Big Two are a wash, but PR has easier data downloads, is that about the size of it?
- Finally, my old sleep study and prescription specify APAP but only have a single pressure listed. Do you think I will get away with that, or will DME make me get a new script with a range listed?

Any advice appreciated!!

[LSAT]

IF you purchase from a DME, let them set the unit at anything they want. You have access to the Clinical Manual and can change the setting to whatever you want. Most people on this board have taken charge of their own therapy and make their own adjustments. Check the prices at our host cpap.com before you go to a DME.

[ziggytosh]

IF you purchase from a DME, let them set the unit at anything they want. You have access to the Clinical Manual and can change the setting to whatever you want. Most people on this board have taken charge of their own therapy and make their own adjustments. Check the prices at our host cpap.com before you go to a DME.

Thanks for the reply. I'm with you on that - I set my own pressure too. I just meant, do you think they will let me buy an APAP as opposed to CPAP? As I understand it, the ideal APAP script would specify APAP and a range of, say 8-20 cm pressure. Mine just says APAP 7 cm pressure.

[Pugsy]

It all depends on the DME supplier if they will supply an APAP capable machine with a cpap fixed pressure RX.
Some will and some won't. They all could if they would just do it but often they won't because of the profit margin involved and will use the "RX" excuse instead of telling you it's all about profit.

From cpap.com....you can get an APAP machine with a fixed pressure RX.
It will likely just come set in cpap mode at the fixed pressure on the RX.

[ziggytosh]

It all depends on the DME supplier if they will supply an APAP capable machine with a cpap fixed pressure RX.
Some will and some won't. They all could if they would just do it but often they won't because of the profit margin involved and will use the "RX" excuse instead of telling you it's all about profit.

From cpap.com....you can get an APAP machine with a fixed pressure RX.
It will likely just come set in cpap mode at the fixed pressure on the RX.

Thanks. That figures. If the net cost is remotely similar, I'll probably buy from cpap.com on general principle anyway. At the risk of getting a little political, I can't understand how people don't recognize our privately insured medical system for the claptrap, haphazard, astonishingly bureaucratic turd ball that it is. Of course, if I pay out of pocket I'm only saving a broken system a tiny bit of money and minutely delaying the inevitable collapse ... sigh ... I'll go back to watching zombie apocalypse movies now. Thanks for the insight.

[Julie]

If your MD writes a script for "Apap of patient's choice" they (theoretically anyhow) need to fill that.

[LSAT]

If your MD writes a script for "Apap of patient's choice" they (theoretically anyhow) need to fill that.

The OP already has an old prescription that he wants to use...it just says APAP.