Software??

[JaBee]

Hello everybody...

After hearing from my wife that I stopped breathing and snored bad for over 10 years, I finally went and was tested. I was told I am Level 12.

As I am continuing to learn about Sleep Apnea and CPAP I have seen that the machine doeds reccord information as you sleep. But, how can you access this information?

On the profile page, it asked what software do you use, but I was not given any software with my equipment.

What information does the machine record and how can you access it?

Thanks to all, and I look forward to learning from all of you.

JB

[cflame1]

The machine that you've got will not provide you any information other than hours used either on the screen or in software.

You'd need to get at minimum (staying with the same brand) an Elite II/Elite

[Slinky]

JaBee, how long have you had your CPAP? You have the Resmed S8 Escape II w/EPR listed as your CPAP. The Escape is not capable of providing any data but compliance date, i.e. how many hours a night you've used it more than 4 hours, how many nights you have used it, how many nights since you first used it and how many nights it has been used since it was first turned on.

If you have had this Escape less than 30 days, I would suggest that your return it and request one step up in models to the Resmed S8 Elite II w/EPR.

Do you have Medicare or a private or group insurance? Most insurances pay by insurance (HCPCS) code and NOT by brand and model. The Escape and the Elite are both HCPCS code e0601. However, altho your insurance contracted w/the local DME provider at one set price for ANY HCPCS code e0601 the Elite does cost the DME provider a few dollars more, $40 to $50 more the last I knew but that has been a couple of years. Therefore the local DME providers do usually prefer to provide the Escape rather than the Elite to improve their profit margin.

If you have private or group insurance I would suggest that you call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP providers they are contracted with. Hopefully you will have the option of more than just your current provider as that gives you more bargaining/negotiating room to get the equipment you want (w/in reason, of course). You might also want to ask if you have an annual deductable and when the fiscal year starts as you may find yourself paying a bundle every month for several months come the first of the year.

You should also ask how your insurance purchases your CPAP device, i.e. rental or outright purchase, if rental how many months is the rental period. At the end of the rental period are you provided w/a brand new CPAP or does your rented CPAP become your sole property.

Be aware that Resmed, Respironics and Fisher & Paykel will all replace FREE to the local DME provider most any of their masks that patients have tried and been unsuccessful w/IF the provider fills out a form and returns form and mask to the manufacturer W/IN 30 DAYS. So there is no excuse in most cases for the local DME suppliers to have a less than lenient mask exchange policy. Their mask exchange policy is something you should ask each local DME provider if you have the option of "shopping" more than just this one current local DME provider.

While the CPAP is usually purchased on some form of rental agreement, the rest of the equipment: integrated heated humidifier, hose, filter, mask, etc. are usually purchased out right at the time you receive your CPAP.

As for the additional data available from the Elite but NOT the Escape: your 95% Pressure, 95% Leak, AHI (apnea/hypopnea index), AI (apnea index - subtract the AI from the AHI and you get your HI [hypopnea index] which is the number of apneas and/or hypopneas you experienced PER HOUR). I assume you mention Level 12 that what is meant is an AHI of 12 events per hour which puts you still in the "mild" OSA category by most standards.

Software is NOT provided w/CPAPs. MOST insurances will NOT pay for the software and necessary proprietary cable reader. If you want them you must pay for them out of pocket. SOME local DME providers will sell you the software and cable reader IF your doctor will give you a script for them. Most doctors won't. AND it is most always cheaper to find and buy them online than from the local DME provider.

You should be able to check your compliance data on your Escape by pressing the Left and Right buttons and holding them for 4-5 seconds IF SmartData has been turned on by your DME provider. From there on it is a matter of Left button to Enter, Right button to Exit, Up button to Return to the previous screen and Down button to Proceed to the next screen. You would use the same button presses to access your more complete data on the Elite IF SmartData has been turned on by your DME provider. You can NOT alter your therapy settings in any way via this particular menu which is usually referred to as the Advanced or Detailed Patient Menu.

I hope it is not too late to exchange your Escape for an Elite. Good luck!!!

[rested gal]

Welcome to the message board, JB.

If/when you're able to get the people who gave you the ResMed S8 Escape to swap it for a ResMed S8 Elite II, you'll be able to see quite a bit of information about your nightly treatment within the little window on the machine itself.

cflame1 is absolutely right. The machine you have listed in your equipment profile (Escape) does not give any useful information at all. Nothing more than "hours of use."

slinky is giving good advice about the insurance issues.

Here's why you should ask for the Elite II instead of the Escape II they gave you:

An Elite II would let you see your AHI (apnea/hypopnea index...an average per hour of how many apneas and hypopneas are sneaking through despite treatment), and a breakdown of that number into how many events were apneas and how many of them were hypopneas (partial restriction of airflow but not the complete restriction of airflow that an apnea is.) It would also let you see the all important "leak" rate, to help you decide if too much leaking (from mask, or from mouth if not wearing a full face mask) is happening and possibly compromising your treatment. Massive air leaks would mean the cpap air is gushing out into the bedroom instead of down where it is needed...to keep the airway open.

With the Elite II you'd be able to see all that info right there on the machine. You wouldn't need any software at all to see that info in the Elite II's LCD window.

So...there's a lot of interesting and useful data to see...from a machine that can show it. Any ResMed machine with the word "Elite" in its name can do that. None of the ResMed machines with "Escape" in their name can.

Right now... if you're still in the first month of having a machine, is the best time (well, second best time -- best time would have been before letting them give you a machine at all ) to get the DME (durable medical equipment -- the home health supplies store) to give you a machine that will show useful data...not just "compliance" (hours of use.)

You want the ResMed S8 Elite II. Not the Escape II. The same humidifier you already have will work with the Elite II, so all they have to switch is the machine itself.

If they want to know "why" you want to swap, don't let yourself be drawn into a discussion about data from machines. Don't say, "So I can see my treatment data." Just stay calm and polite, ignore that question and instead just keep turning questions back to them...for as long as you feel like putting them on the spot:

"You do carry the Elite II, don't you?"
"You are able to order an Elite II, aren't you?"
"The Elite II is a CPAP machine, isn't it?"
"Since my prescription is for 'cpap', it would be legal for you to fill my prescription with an Elite II, wouldn't it?"
"Since the Elite II and the Escape II are both 'cpap' machines, the billing code you use for the Escape is the same billing code used for the Elite II, isn't it?"

If the DME tells you flat out that they cannot, or will not, swap machines for you... or if they tell you they'll swap but that you'll have to pay some difference out of your own pocket... don't argue with them. Just come right back here and we'll suggest what to do next. But you've got a pretty good chance that simply by asking they'll make the swap for you, and all will be good.

[JaBee]

Hi everybody...

Thanks so much for the very useful info.

I will be calling my DME today to discuss the change. I really want to know much of the info that was described because I want to see how well this thing is working.

When I married my wife 11 years ago, one of the first things she told me was how she could not sleep at night, because she kept hearing me stop breathing. She was literally scared she would wake up and find me dead.

But...I can be stubborn, and thankfully..she is loving. She lived with the snoring and adjusted to it. Finally, however I started seeing other things...(yeah, it took 11 years...) I started falling asleep at work, and worse, one day I was driving to work and stopped for a red light, and woke up when the horns started going off. I discussed it with mr Doctor, and had the first sleep study a week later.

I started using the CPAP machine last week, Oct. 29 so it is brand new still, only used five times.

Our local DME had a good reputation in the community, but already I am seeing some of the concerns I have read about in other posts.

But, I will call him up today and ask for the Elite machine. I have 80/20 insurance so any cost difference should be minimal.

JB

[Slinky]

There should be NO EXTRA CHARGE for exchanging the Escape for the Elite. None. The DME provider contracted w/your insurance at one set price for any HCPCS code e0601. The Elite is also an HCPCS code e0601.

[JaBee]

I just called my DME...he was not happy when I asked to exchange the Escape for the Elite II.
He was honest, and told me that they give the Elite to Medicare patients because apparently
medicare requires monitoring, but he said that they give the Escape to insurace patients
"because it is cheaper."

Like I say...give him an "A" for honesty. He asked me why I did not ask for the "Elite" when
I got the machine last week, and I told him because I did not know the difference and expected
I would be given the best equipment I could get. (Of course on the negative side, it took four
phone calls and two voice mails for him to return my call.)

He told me he would "look into" it because he did not know how to exchange. He said he
has never been asked to exchange a unit before.

I will keep everyone up to date on what happens...

JB

[drubin007]

He told me he would "look into" it because he did not know how to exchange. He said he
has never been asked to exchange a unit before.

I will keep everyone up to date on what happens...

JB

the DME is full of crap... I returned my cpap to the dme after about 3 months and got a new one (apap) from a different dme (my doctor wrote the prescription for the apap at my request). The new (current) dme called the original one and made all arrangements. The following day I dropped off the original cpap machine (kept the hose, mask) went to the new dme and got the new machine. It is a rental (12 months?)
As I understood it, the new dme just continues the rental agreement (so they lose 3 months).
I switched masks a few times in the beginning, and the machine. Don't let them railroad ya. fight for what ya want.

[Pugsy]

I just called my DME...he was not happy when I asked to exchange the Escape for the Elite II.
He was honest, and told me that they give the Elite to Medicare patients because apparently
medicare requires monitoring, but he said that they give the Escape to insurace patients
"because it is cheaper."

Like I say...give him an "A" for honesty.

What a load of horse manure. Medicare requires only compliance usage data to satisfy minimum usage requirements so that the machine isn't sitting in a closet somewhere. Medicare patients get the Escape all the time.
I would say you got excuse number 3 in a long list of excuses.

You got a partial truth. They gave it to you because it was cheaper.