Renting a machine

[eprex]

Hi all

Recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, thin adult male. Guess I just got unlucky! I apparently had around 20 episodes of apnea per hour according to my home sleep study

My question is this- The sleep lab set me up with a CPAP company and it seems pricey. It is about $300 for the first month which includes my appointment and "accessories", $150 for the next month, then $50 per month (once I hit my deductible)

Now 1) I have terrible health insurance. It will be better next year but I am stuck with this now. 2) I assume this isn't going to be cheap and that's okay

I just want to make sure that I am not paying more money than I have to. Should I look into other options?

[Julie]

You got LUCKY, and found out what the problem is, so now you can treat it. But someone in the US will have to answer your insurance Q's .

[Pugsy]

You can probably buy a machine on your own for less and save money. If you haven't even met your deductible yet.

You can still use a DME for masks and other supplies if you wish and thus make use of any mask swapping allowance they might have available.
I have never used a DME for a machine but I do make use of my insurance for my once every 6 months mask allowance and sometimes replacement parts in between.

You can use a place like cpap.com who offer some masks with free return insurance (be sure to read up on the policy if you do) or purchase some return insurance so that if you try something you hate you can return it and not be out a significant sum of money.

Figure out exactly what you want in terms of machine and maybe a mask and do the math.

You can check out online prices at cpap.com.. They pay the bills for this forum.
https://www.cpap.com/

You can also check out places like Amazon and EBay for various cpap equipment.

If your deductible is high and it's unlikely you are going to meet it then you can save money by at least buying the machine yourself and maybe even mask if you have a good idea what you want and make use of any return insurance available from an online source.

[SewTired]

Looking a year out by your numbers, that's $950. That is actually reasonable with an auto machine that has data capability, mask and supplies for a year. However, you can do it much less expensively.

Our sponsor offers an S9 Autoset Machine that is pink for $559. This is one model older than the current machine. They may also have a deal for you for an Airsense Autoset or Autoset for Her among their open box or returns. Secondwindcpap.com also has low hour of the same models. If you are interested in a Respironics machine, go for the 560 series for less cost. They are great machines and the 1 model older machines are still using the same algorithm.

Please note that the S9 Autoset for her only varies from the regular autoset by a color. The Airsense Autoset for her has an algorithm not available on the standard Airsense Autoset.

Now, others will recommend Amazon, but I don't know enough about that supplier to recommend or not recommend. I also had no problem buying lower hour machines - Greyghost here is a good seller. He will not steer you wrong and give you different options.

You can also go through Craigslist and offerup.com, but you need to do some homework before buying through these methods. Most of the folks selling machines are relatively clueless but you can easily get low hour or zero hour machines this way.

[Pugsy]

Looking a year out by your numbers, that's $950.

True but here's the rub

once I hit my deductible

We don't know how much the deductible is and since he mentions this I would assume it hasn't been met yet...and most likely that deductible will reset in Jan and that's just 5 months from now.

[eprex]

thanks for the great comments guys. I picked up the machine today (dream machine or something) and a nasal mask since the full-face seemed too claustrophobic. I will have to call my insurance company because I agree that I am just going to pay out the butt for this machine. I might as well use it for a month, see what works and then return it to buy my own.

[Maskoff]

If u are a thin adult male and did a home sleep study that showed 20 events hourly, I would reckon there is at least a 50% chance that your apnea maybe central and not obstructive. Most thin adults don't typically have obstructions in their airway that lead to stopping breathing 20 times per hour. Yes it's possible but based on the home study you wouldn't know if ur someone suffering from central sleep apnea instead of obstructive. You should request an in lab pay study or upload your data from ur machine here so someone can let u know if ur even using the correct machine to treat your specific condition.You might need an ASV machine, not CPAP

[Julie]

"there is at least a 50% chance that your apnea maybe central and not obstructive. Most thin adults don't typically have obstructions in their airway that lead to stopping breathing 20 times per hour."

Gibberish - where do you get your info from?

And type in English - this is not a texting place.

[Maskoff]

Julie,
Let's hear what others on the board have to say. I'm getting my information from real life experience by the way.
Aldo on't be so quick to label a theory you do not agree with as gibberish without researching the facts

[Julie]

You do your research - there are many people right here on the forum who've tested much, much higher than 20/hr and they're by no means all old, fat or men. I certainly tested higher and fit none of the out of date criteria.

[palerider]

Julie,
Let's hear what others on the board have to say. I'm getting my information from real life experience by the way.
Aldo on't be so quick to label a theory you do not agree with as gibberish without researching the facts

I vote gibberish, and your 'experience' is sorely lacking.

[LSAT]

If u are a thin adult male and did a home sleep study that showed 20 events hourly, I would reckon there is at least a 50% chance that your apnea maybe central and not obstructive. Most thin adults don't typically have obstructions in their airway that lead to stopping breathing 20 times per hour. Yes it's possible but based on the home study you wouldn't know if ur someone suffering from central sleep apnea instead of obstructive. You should request an in lab pay study or upload your data from ur machine here so someone can let u know if ur even using the correct machine to treat your specific condition.You might need an ASV machine, not CPAP

I vote Bull Sh...