How Many Hours on Your CPAP/APAP?

I was thinking I might be due for a new machine. I have an old 2008 RemStar Auto M Series with 17,644 hours on it in 2316 sessions. That is a fairly high odometer reading. I'm curious how many here have over high mileage machines still in use .

My (now my backup) M-Series had 16165 hours and 1705 sessions on June 13th of this year I got it in July 2008. I replaced it with an S9 VAP Bilevel Auto 2 months later. It is packaged up, or I would look at it's current blower hours.

If you only have ONE machine, I would strongly advise you to be thinking very hard about getting another.
Murphy's Laws apply to these machines, too.


Den

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I need to replace my current machine which will become a backup. I was just curious if I might have the most used machine in existence. For insurance deductible reasons, I am about 2-years overdue to replace.

Sleeprider wrote:I need to replace my current machine which will become a backup. I was just curious if I might have the most used machine in existence. For insurance deductible reasons, I am about 2-years overdue to replace.

I dunno, I think Den has a couple machines that were chisled out of granite by a cave dweller.

palerider wrote:

Sleeprider wrote:I need to replace my current machine which will become a backup. I was just curious if I might have the most used machine in existence. For insurance deductible reasons, I am about 2-years overdue to replace.

I dunno, I think Den has a couple machines that were chisled out of granite by a cave dweller.

Hey! I don't have any "bricks"!!! All of mine are (or originally were when they were new) fully data-capable. The two that are "marginal" (in the data category) were acquired a few years ago from someone who used to sell on CPAPAuction.com and had a couple of Pro 2 machines which had quite a few hours on them and let me have them very cheaply......but they still blow air and I only use them for naps. They were only $15 each and that much for shipping (for a total of $45).

The manufacturers are STILL making "bricks"......deliberately.


Den

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I started looking around for a replacement. Apria supplied my old Respironics, so I figured I'd find out what they want for a new Resmed Autoset S10. They didn't have one in stock but have a S9 for the bargain price of $2495.

Well, that supplier is off my list, and I have actually got a quote for about 1/4 that price. The problem is, why does insurance point us to companies with outrageous prices? If I was to get that "deal" from Apria, I'd pay more in copays and deductibles than if I got it for cash from the best source.

Anyway...still looking for someone to post more hours than my fossil Autoset.

Wulfman... wrote:

palerider wrote:

Sleeprider wrote:I need to replace my current machine which will become a backup. I was just curious if I might have the most used machine in existence. For insurance deductible reasons, I am about 2-years overdue to replace.

I dunno, I think Den has a couple machines that were chisled out of granite by a cave dweller.

Hey! I don't have any "bricks"!!!

I never implied they were bricks! just that they date from somewhere around the dawn of time....

fine craftsmen those cavemen were!

Sleeprider wrote:The problem is, why does insurance point us to companies with outrageous prices? If I was to get that "deal" from Apria, I'd pay more in copays and deductibles than if I got it for cash from the best source.

Ahhh...that $2495 price is the pie in the sky amount that DMEs bill but then your insurance says "whoa, wait a minute...you have to be happy with this so and so price and write off the rest of it"...that's where "allowable amounts" come in to play.
Your insurance is going to pay whatever it has set as an allowable amount no matter how much that pie in the sky charge is.
Works like Medicare.

The pie in the sky amount might be $2,000 for something but Medicare says nope...only $500 is what you can expect to get and you get to eat the rest of it.
Deductibles and copays are based on the allowable amount and not the pie in the sky amount.
It's the same with all insurance...this is why you go to providers under contract with your insurance company so that no one can bill you more than what your insurance says they have to be happy with.
There's a few insurance companies/plans out there who might "allow" that pie in the sky amount but most won't.
Usually the reduction is significant...if you got another quote from a provider in your network for 1/4 that amount...they already know they won't be getting the pie in the sky amount and just charge the allowable amount up front.

This is the reason we try to stay "in network" so we get the negotiated allowable amount and not go to out of network suppliers to make the DMEs owner's new boat payment because they aren't under contract with our insurance company and can charge us whatever they want.

Good post Pugsy. I haven't shopped a XPAP in over 6 years, but I have seen the significant margin on what medical suppliers and practitioners bill and what is allowed. I think my last bill showed over $300 in charges of which I owed the allowed amount of $75. Folks without any coverage are really S.O.L.

Considering the high deductible of my policy, it seems I pay for a discount service. I still pay the bill, but it's lower. Insurance still makes the premiums and I'm yet to hit the deductible obligation for this year ($3000 family). Since I'm on the hook for what gets paid anyway, it sure would be nice to know in advance what the allowed charges are for something like a new APAP.

You know in your situation with your deductible which I assume is calendar year deductible...if you haven't met it this year and and aren't going to likely come close to it this year then it might be more cost effective to buy online or private purchase if you plan to do it this year. You need to do the math to see which way works out for you the best depending on the final amount allowed and rest assured a good DME can find that out for you if they just would. It's not a national secret no matter what the DMEs or insurance company reps want to say.

Or maybe if the cash out lay would be about the same either way then wait until after the first of the year and get it with insurance involved and let that cost work towards satisfying your deductible for next year if you have a Jan 1 to Dec 31 claims period.
Used to be a lot of insurance companies would let a person count expenses made in last quarter roll over and be applied in January to the new deductible but I don't think many plans offer that anymore. It would help out the patient and we all know that sort of thing has sort of disappeared.
An obvious exception would be if your machine was ailing now but it didn't sound like it was from what you said.

Again right-on. I'm in a position of starting a new policy this month with only a $500 deductible and 20% copay. I suspect that will start-over at the first of the year, so I'm considering cancelling appointments for a urologic procedure later this month and deferring all care until next calendar year. The "fossil" will hold out until then, and the cystoscopy doesn't sound like a lot of fun either.

Looking at the claim filed these are the amounts they are actually paying the DME for the equipment:

S9 VAP Bilevel Auto with Heated Humidifier and Heated hose.

$ 1127.40 for the S9 VAP BiLevel Auto (10 payments of $112.74)
$ 146.71 for the Heated Humidifier w/Heated Hose

So Insurance Will Pay: $1284.11 Total

Total Co-Pays would normally be: 256.84. For me since I am maxed out for this year, so the only co-pays will be for next years rental payments and under $150.

For the knowledgeable consumer, Craigslist is a viable option.