Machine replacement: Strike one!

[joeattardi]

Hey all!

I just got off the phone with my DME supplier inquiring about getting a better machine. They said they did have the S8 Elite, but I have been warned that the data card readers for those are nearly impossible to find. So I inquired about an S9 machine, and they wouldn't budge. They said they'd need a new prescription from my doctor explicitly saying I needed an S9.

So, I guess I will have to convince my doctor... *sigh*

[BlackSpinner]

They are crazy - the readers are every where in generic format, besides which you can see summary data (AHI,AI, leak rate) in the LCD screen for the night and sometimes that is all you need.

[joeattardi]

I was under the impression that the S8 uses some proprietary smart card, and the readers are hard to find (they aren't sold on CPAP.com anymore) - several members in this forum have warned me of that, and suggested an S9 series instead, since those use a standard SD card.

[jmelby]

I was under the impression that the S8 uses some proprietary smart card, and the readers are hard to find (they aren't sold on CPAP.com anymore) - several members in this forum have warned me of that, and suggested an S9 series instead, since those use a standard SD card.

Correct... I think BlackSpinner must have misunderstood. The S9 uses a standard SD card, but the S8 has its own proprietary card... it is probably true that the readers for those are now hard to come by

[Janknitz]

Here's hoping your doctor is willing to work with you on this.

When he writes the script, make sure he writes on there "dispense as written". Otherwise they will try to foist something else on you.

Good luck!

[elena88]

have cpap.com request a prespription from him by fax, that will get the ball rolling, and you might be surprised that someone in his
office will fax it back! If they dont, you can call the doctors office , and ask THEM why they didnt follow thru on that request, so its on them, not you..
all you have to do is go to the website and follow the prompts request prescription..

[jdm2857]

Card readers for the ResMed S8 series are available.

Both the generic ACR38U and the ResMed branded one.

[unadog]

.

[jdm2857]

I was under the (possibly mistaken) impression that Joe has had his machine for a while. If it is new, I agree that he should push for the S9.

[unadog]

.

[jimplasticguy]

Joe, I am frequent lurker here, but I wanted to pop in and give you a quick experience that might empower you.

Back around the beginning of the year, my doctor ordered an auto for me. I had just had a horrible experience falling asleep in a meeting with executives at my new job. My prescription had gone from 6 cm cpap to 12 cm and I was not tolerating it well.

I was told that I had very few DME choices with my insurance and went with the one I was told to use. I was uncomfortable for unknown reasons (you should listen to the little voice). I went with them anyway. The guy that showed up at my house just kind of creeped me out and he was very protective of information, settings, etc. He even disabled the ramp function, telling me that the doctor would need to authorize it. He handed me a used Resmed S8 auto. I complained, but he said they and the doctor were trying me on this machine, they were renting it to us, then we would decide where to go from there. setting. I grudgingly accepted. In 4 months, they only called once to check my compliance number. Nobody ever looked at anything else.

In the mean time, my doctor had been ignoring me on various complaints of feeling really crappy and falling asleep in meetings that could get me fired. I mentioned the data I had downloaded and his office said it is more important how you feel. I brought the data in anyway and he did concur there was an issue. Wrote a prescription for bipap without retitrating. Back to the DME. The guy shows up with a used S8 VPAP S. But he is in my house, he showed up late, I am on a conference call... I had him leave it. I called his office to gripe. They blamed it all on the insurance and the rental and what they were allowed to give me, etc. I tried it for some months and was still having problems, and I felt (maybe psychosomatic) that it was aggravating my allergies to mold which hamper my therapy.

I still felt like crap and there were still apneas all over my reports, so I made an appointment to go back to the local sleep doc last month. I am very busy. Post recession corporate America is not a cake-walk, but they had me wait 30 minutes. The front desk called me up front, and told me there was a 200 dollar bill outstanding. Now mind you, this is after day and nighttime sleep studies, and over 5,000 bucks paid to date this year. I told her I have all of my med bills together and did not recognize this one, but I would be happy to check it out when I went home via my insurance carrier's site, and would gladly pay it. Now I am in the waiting room, not around the corner behind the door where you typically talk about finacials. She loudly told me - "You are in collections!" I was starting to boil. People were looking at me. I said calmly, "I told you, I will take care of it. I pay my bills, but I need to go investigate, as I have had billing issues with your office before." She then tells me that they are not supposed to see a patient who is in collections. I told her that maybe if you had called me before I drove 20 miles to get here, I could have investigated and brought you your money. She just stared at me, I turned around and left, with a new motivation.

I went to Cleveland Clinic's new sleep center. Can't say enough about it. The doctor spent OVER ONE HOUR with me counseling, listening, hearing my concerns, going over the data. She told me that I had never been titrated on a bi-pap, but was using one. That was most probably the big issue. They had me re-titrated (I did it the next night). What do you know, my pressure needed to be 16 and 12, not 12 and 8.

Next, I called my insurance company and told them I fired the first doctor and I refuse to work with the DME who was servicing. I was firing the DME also. This is when I found out that the DME SOLD (not rented) a NEW auto cpap to me and my insurance company at the beginning of the year. My insurance company does not rent and they do not buy used machines, even though the DME have been telling me we are. Nobody ever told the insurance company about a bi-pap because they would have wanted a retitration.

I found out about a large network of DME's that we are under. I called one that was recommended. I told them that I was coming in, and that they were not coming here. I continued that I would decide when I talked with them whether we were doing business, or I was moving on to the next. If need be, I would buy one myself and seek reimbursement. I went in and had a fantastic experience. Spent an hour with a respiratory therapist who addressed all my needs, talked data, chin straps, and masks. They left me with a New VPAP Auto 25. There is no S9 Bipap yet that I can tell. The therapist told me that with my wild prescription changes over the last two years, the Auto was an option for the future, as the doctor might choose to go that way instead of straight bipap.

They called the next day to follow up and see how I was feeling and if I had any questions or issues.

So... Moral and key learnings
-I know they taught us all to stand in a straight line and do as told in kindergarten. That does not apply to Apnea. Keep firing them until you get someone who will listen and work with you.
-If the little voice tells you someone does not have your best interest at heart, listen to it.
-Take charge. None of these people are going to be at your side when you lose a job over it, or fall asleep at the wheel.
-Be informed. Talk directly to your insurance company if necessary. I found out that mine has a very nice policy for cpap users.

Good luck

[megawill]

jimplasticguy - great story and advice....!

[brazospearl]

jimplasticguy, Oh. My. God. Bless your heart, that's just an awful lot of time and expense down the drain, isn't it? I'm so glad you've found better medical type folks to help you on this journey.

[Slinky]

Way to go, JimPlasticGuy!!! Way to go! Who was the doctor at Cleveland Clinic? Good sleep doctors need to have their names publicized, there are so few of them.

[DoriC]

Great post! This will help many others who are having the same difficulties. Good luck, keep us updated!