Did my Wife Get a Brick Machine??

Question for the group out there - Both me and my wife were both recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. We came at this from different paths and reasons so we ended up with difference sleep doctors, but both were affiliated with Ohio Heath. Each doctor refereed to different DME's and not knowing better we got very different equipment.

I ended up with the DME associated with Ohio Health, I have received decent service and lots of help. I got a Respironics System One Pro with C-FLex+

My wife had an existing relationship with Linn Care as that is who we have the portable 02 and Concentrator from and she will remain of 2l of 02 with CPAP.

She got a F&P Novo, to me it seems like a very basic machine the tech who came out of the house told my wife, I was at work at the time, that it was the the top of the line machine and was better than my Respironics machine.

Do I need to be concerned?

See for yourself at our host's site. It's no longer availalble. Info for reference only.
I would change everything to your DME.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... chine.html

retrodave15 wrote:he tech who came out of the house told my wife, I was at work at the time, that it was the the top of the line machine and was better than my Respironics machine.

Less than truthful representation of the machine in my opinion. Or in other words "Big fat lie".
The most basic of machines. Even has manual altitude adjustment. In the "brick" category...this one about as bad as it can get.

http://www.fphcare.com/osa/cpap-solutio ... -novo.html

Edit.. OMG it doesn't even have leak compensation...Geezzz
but it has a clock.. big whoopie

I bet you already had a clock radio.

Looks like I will be making a few phone calls on Monday morning. The really sad part of this whole story is that my wife worked in a cardiologists office and used to refer people to this DME.

My wife did call her sleep doc's office with some concerns about the machine, but we have not heard anything back.

I think that biggest lesson leaned here is all DME's, even the big national ones, are not created equal.

Dave

tThe only thing they excell in is giving the cheapest product for the most money. In the market place you have to arm yourself with facts. Jim

If you go to my blog in my signature below, look for a post called "help! I'm stuck with a brick".

The Novo should be called the "No No" machine. It's "brickier" than most!

I wouldn't recommend ANY Icon machine right now because the software is difficult to obtain. The other two machines in the line look good, once software is readily available.

retrodave15 wrote:Looks like I will be making a few phone calls on Monday morning. The really sad part of this whole story is that my wife worked in a cardiologists office and used to refer people to this DME.

My wife did call her sleep doc's office with some concerns about the machine, but we have not heard anything back.

I think that biggest lesson leaned here is all DME's, even the big national ones, are not created equal.

Dave

FWIW - when I got my machine it was through Lincare and when I told them I wanted the Resmed S9 Autoset they had no problem ordering it for me. Of course I'm sure each office is different. They also insisted I have a scrip for the auto.

Randy

The national providers such as Apria and Lincare have the WORST reputations of all.

I assume both you and your wife have the same insurance policy and coverage? Is Ohio Health an HMO? You would think that Lincare would be grateful enough for the 02 business they would provide your wife w/a decent CPAP. But since that is NOT the case I would be inclined to call Ohio Health and ask thAt your wife's DME services be moved from Lincare to your DME provider - both 02 and PAP.

I am on 2L 02 pretty much 24 x 7. I was also on CPAP and now on a bi-level PAP. My original PAP provider was a sheister. I have Medicare as my Primary insurance. I called my secondary insurance to find who my local DME provider options besides the sheister were and had my 02 order sent to one of my other options. I got all my PAP supplies and accessories from the 02 provider and had no further contact w/the sheister until my PAP capped rental was completed and then made sure they were aware that I was DONE w/them ENTIRELY.

I was provided w/a used 5L DeVilbiss concentrator (this is allowed by Medicare since we never actually own the concentrator as we do our PAPs), 4 E tanks of 02 w/continuous flow regulator and handi-cart for emergencies and 4 B tanks w/pulse/continuous flow regulator and cloth carry case for getting out and about and all the tubing, etc. that I needed in 2006. Earlier this year the DeVilbiss died. On a weekend night. W/in an hour one of their staff was at my house w/a used Invacare Platinum 5L concentrator. Later this year the used Invacare also died. Their staff was out the same day w/a used DeVilbiss 5L concentrator. And just a month or two ago they came out w/a surprise brand new 0 hours Respironics EverFlo Q 5L concentrator and took the used DeVilbiss back. I guess every 5 years we are due for a new concentrator now.

During these 8 years I've had 02 service with them they've called me on a regular basis to ask what supplies I need or they have mailed supplies to me. They are out every 6 months to check my concentrator for accurate output, etc. When I traveled out of state and didn't have room to take a 3L concentrator w/me they made arrangements w/a local DME provider at my desitnation to have a concentrator and B tanks waiting at my hotel for me. Another time I traveled out of state they provided me w/a 3L concentrator and a dozen B tanks. Yet another out of state trip they provided me w/a Sequal Eclipse 2 portable concentrator and 4 B tanks. And - when my grandson was injured in the kitchen of the restaurant where he is 2nd chef late on a Friday afternoon they had a Respironics EverFlo portable concentrator and 3L concentrator and 4 B tanks out to my house the early next morning so I could leave for South Carolina yet that day. I couldn't ask for better service from them!

AND when it comes to my PAP provisions: They've never limited me on trying PAP masks. When my Resmed S8 Autoset Vantage was subject to recall they didn't bat an eye about handling the Recall even tho I had bought it out of pocket online. When my Resmed S8 VPAP Auto just wasn't working/reporting data quite right, out of warranty, they took it in and for $35 replaced the foam padding, the motor, etc. and provided a loaner. When the PR S1 BPAP Auto I did NOT obtain from them turned out to be one of the defective ones they handled the warranty replacment for me w/o a problem. They send me my supplies as needed. I just give them a quick call and have the supplies w/in 2 days, often the next day.

Sheldon Medical Supplies (Michigan) have been just great to and for me. I can't say enough good about them. I doubt your wife gets as good service from Lincare.

Just a few notes Ohio Health is one of the largest hospital / Heath Conglomerates in the Central Ohio Area. They are not an HMO, but have there hands in everything. As for my insurance I am one of the lucky few that still has a decent PPO and can pick where we get stuff from. My order to Ohio Health Home reach was a mistake, my doctors office called my prescription in twice, once to Ohio Health and once to Linn Care first, guess I got lucky.


Hopefully everything gets fixed next week.

Dave

Good luck, Dave. I hope you get your wife switched over to your provider and a good PAP w/o too much hassle yet this week.

After a few follow up calls made this morning we have success.

Once her sleep doc found out what machine he had been given he went through the roof, called Homereach and set her up for an ASAP delivery of a full data capable machine. When my wife talked to the doc office staff. they told her that the script they sent to Linn Care specified a full data machine in either a ResMed or Respironics with a DAW order with Linn Care decided to ignore. This fact will be brought up with my HR department and Insurance carrier as Linn Care is one of the approved in network providers.

Needless to say - my wife has an appointment to get the new machine delivered this afternoon along with a new concentrator and portable 02 all from Homereach. She is even getting the Respiratory Therapist who set up mine, probably since she knows the way to my house.

Dave

RIGHT ON, DAVE!!!! WHOOO HOOOOO! Congratulations on getting results so quickly. Boy, if you can get your hands on that ORIGINAL DAW script and the invoice for what was actually delivered Lincare could REALLY be "fried"!!!!

I'm delighted to hear your wife will be receiving her 02 and PAP therapy from the same provider as you since they've been doing well by you. good going, guy!