How often to replace machine?

I'm on my first machine and am knowledgeable about how often to replace the headgear, nasal pillows, tubing, etc. but how often do you replace your machine?

They are supposed to be good for at least 5 years. Sometimes your Dr will recommend a new one but has to write you a new RX.
If you are on Medicare that is their rule. Sometimes you can turn your in for credit towards a new one but I beleive the 5 year rule applies
I guess it all depends what your Insurance says. You can buy one out of pocket wherever you want to

You will need a recent prescription to buy a new machine in Ontario even if you want to pay for it yourself.

You can buy online, with your original prescription, from an online seller. Since you are Canadian, I doubt that insurance will cover any of it (mine won't) but the machines are a lot cheaper online, especially when the Canadian dollar is good. That's when I have bought online. New rules will not allow US online sellers to ship the 2 major machines to individuals in Canada but there are other machines that are available online and there are ways around the restrictions on getting Respironics and Resmed machines online. Just keep checking the forum when you want to buy another or a backup one.

5 years unless the machine craps out before then.

Sheriff

5 years used to be the rule of thumb, but insurance is getting tougher on that.

The improvements between the current ResMed and Philips models and their predecessors is great enough that you should really replace any S8 or M series machines now.

I don't know to what degree the current models will wear out. There might be a really long period before you need to replace one of the current model machines. I haven't heard a lot of people whose machines of any vintage have worn out.

All the models I'm aware of do sort of self destruct in some sense. They all have internal clocks needed to collect data. These use a watch style battery. These batteries are not designed to be replaced by the user. I'm not even sure they can be replaced by the DME. The Philips Respironics machines are doubly bad because you can't reset the clock without specialized hardware and proprietary software not available to the general public.

I don't know if a discharged battery just screws up the time and date or if it renders the machine inoperable. I guess time will tell.

These batteries will eventually wear out and screw up the machines. Lots of dollars for the repair services or unnecessary new machines for the manufacturers.

I was curious about how long machines last myself: viewtopic/t99206/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=97 ... 72#p905072

You will need a recent prescription to buy a new machine in Ontario even if you want to pay for it yourself.

You can purchase here in Toronto, the S9 AutoSet for $650 and it comes with everything plus your choice of 1 of 2 different top end nasal masks brand new in a sealed bag. Im sure you could get away with giving him $600 only

Or you can get the S9 Elite with everything and the same mask deal for $450 although I am sure you could likely give the guy $400.

Its a Respirologist who works in a hospital advertising on Kijiji and he's bringing in shipments of them and he does not require a Prescription.......how long he will be doing this? I don't know but i think he's got himself a great little gig going so i doubt he will be passing up on this side line of his too quickly.

Hes a Philipino fellow and lives right beside Square One in Mississauga where i had to go to pick it up

ontariomama wrote:I'm on my first machine and am knowledgeable about how often to replace the headgear, nasal pillows, tubing, etc. but how often do you replace your machine?

Usually once every 5 to 7 years depending on the insurance you have you might have to undergo a new sleep study before your insurance will agree to pay for a new machine. My old machine quit working earlier this year; my insurance company required me to have a new 2 night sleep study which I did in June 2014. My DME is currently letting me use one of their ResMed S9 Elite CPAP machines which has just under 900 run hours on it until I get orders from my doctor for a new machine which will be a Bi-Level because my pressure increased into Bi-Level range.


Stevoreno_55
MS Gulf Coast
07/17/14

If you feel worried about it like I was, buy a second hand machine as a back up and travel machine. It is worth the peace of mind knowing you will never be without one.

BlackSpinner wrote:If you feel worried about it like I was, buy a second hand machine as a back up and travel machine. It is worth the peace of mind knowing you will never be without one.

+1

Usually it's the five year rule, and if you want to replace you will need to go to a Cpap store and get a technician to write your doctor to tell him u need a new machine. I replaced mine after 6 years cuz the air seemed stuffy and like a mildew smell to it. Masks should usually replaced every 6 months to a year. Hoses every year. Filters every two months and nasal pillows whenever you feel like it's isn't offering you any support. But I've changed over to nasal mask over the small facial mask that covers ur nose only and testing that out for now.

My DME recently told me that the 5 year rule no longer apples. It can be replaced not taking time into account if it is broken (if it cost to repair is more than it is worth or so old it can not be repaired) or it becomes unserviceable for some reason. Being outdated technology was not necessarily a reason for it to be unserviceable. Could be good or bad depending on how old. I have not seen this in writing so I don't know how true it is depending on whether the DME's mouth was moving.

Jerry