Choosing first machine

Hello, Thank you for reading this. What should I consider in making my first choices for machine and mask? I must pay full cost although at an insurance-negotiated rate, which remains undisclosed to me! The respiratory therapist gave me the option of a "man's" machine a black ResMed air sense 10 or a women's machine a white Respironics Dream Station. He says men and women breathe differently. I am a petite woman with a loud voice!

I am given the choice of 3 masks, nose only, nasal pillows, or nose and mouth. There's quite a cost penalty to me for changing so I'd like to make my best effort the first time!

Thanks for your advice! Amos

Airsense 10 AUTOSET. Most good DMEs will allow mask exchanges within the first 30 days. Press this DME on this. You can go to ANY DME that is in your insurance network...remind the DME of this. DMEs get reimbursed by the manufacterers...they don't lose anything by doing this.

" I must pay full cost although at an insurance-negotiated rate" - I'm not sure what this means but, you can get set up completely w/mask and APAP for approx. $650 or less by shopping online and paying out-of-pocket. What will your co-pay amount to ? Do you have a copy of your Rx ?

Men and women breathe differently?

I would make every effort to work with someone else because that person is either a con artist or outrageously ignorant. You can do better regardless!

Julie wrote:Men and women breathe differently?

I would make every effort to work with someone else becausse that person is either a con artist or outrageously ignorant. You can do better regardless!

resmed might disagree, with the 'for her' mode on the new autoset for her...

You mean the difference is actual vs just a pink machine for her?

Behind the times much ? ~~ https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... idair.html

Well, thank you... I really didn't realize we were different... time I found out!

AmosB wrote:Hello, Thank you for reading this. What should I consider in making my first choices for machine and mask? I must pay full cost although at an insurance-negotiated rate, which remains undisclosed to me! The respiratory therapist gave me the option of a "man's" machine a black ResMed air sense 10 or a women's machine a white Respironics Dream Station. He says men and women breathe differently. I am a petite woman with a loud voice!

I am given the choice of 3 masks, nose only, nasal pillows, or nose and mouth. There's quite a cost penalty to me for changing so I'd like to make my best effort the first time!

Thanks for your advice! Amos

First, the cost to you should not be a mystery. If your DME will not tell you the ACTUAL cost to you, then tell them to keep the machine and go elsewhere. There is no mystery about it since it is either a negotiated rate OR not covered at all. If not covered at all, then your best bet is to go online and then submit your purchase to insurance for reimbursement (honestly, this is the best option for many people, if available). The Dream Station is not a 'woman's' machine. That is just nonsense. You have two choices - Resmed or Respironics. If you choose Resmed, there is a choice between the Airsense (with 2 algorithms) and Airsense for Her (which has 3). The 3rd algorithm is apparently based on how women breathe.

In the best possible situation, you would be able to try out a Resmed and a Respironics to see how each works for you. Respironics didn't work for me at all (it was a loaner when my Resmed machine arrived broken). For someone else, Resmed may not work at all. The algorithms between the 2 manufacturer's is different. In most cases, either machine will work fine for you. However, if you get a Resmed, INSIST on the FOR HER model. They are the same cost from the manufacturer and that extra algorithm may benefit you. It isn't just a lighter color with leaves - it has an additional FUNCTION.

As to masks, I have no advice and will leave that to those with more experience. I'm still struggling with my own choices. I have nose pillows and love them, but they tend to bruise my nose, so a couple of days a week, I switch to a Circadian cloth mask (bought at my expense online) to give nose a rest. The P10 is slightly too tight because I have a large head.

Thank you so much! I am very appreciative of your responses. (but not very familiar with how to post.)

Because of my insurance, I'm essentially limited to one provider of DME, with different offices. They have not been forthcoming with comparison prices of my very limited equipment choices, despite my repeated requests. I've been told: Expect to the package to cost around $2500.

Given how hard it is for many folks to start successfully, I'd like to be engaging with a provider that allowed trying different products.
I thank you for your feedback; it inspires me to keep looking.

AmosB wrote:Thank you so much! I am very appreciative of your responses. (but not very familiar with how to post.)

Because of my insurance, I'm essentially limited to one provider of DME, with different offices. They have not been forthcoming with comparison prices of my very limited equipment choices, despite my repeated requests. I've been told: Expect to the package to cost around $2500.

Given how hard it is for many folks to start successfully, I'd like to be engaging with a provider that allowed trying different products.
I thank you for your feedback; it inspires me to keep looking.

If the insurance is not covering it then buy on line. You can get the first masks and supplies locally because you need to fit them. There is no reason to pay 3 times what our host cpap.com charges.

First, the cost to you should not be a mystery. If your DME will not tell you the ACTUAL cost to you, then tell them to keep the machine and go elsewhere. There is no mystery about it since it is either a negotiated rate OR not covered at all. If not covered at all, then your best bet is to go online and then submit your purchase to insurance for reimbursement (honestly, this is the best option for many people, if available).

Not quite correct. The DME cannot tell you the actual cost to you, because it's dependent on your insurance coverage--, percentages, reasonable and customary charges, deductibles and co-pays. So you need to call your insurer, and ask what your out of pocket costs should be. You also need to know if your insurer requires a "rent to own" program or purchases it outright on your behalf. If it's rent to own, how long is the rental period, what are the co-pays, and will you cross a new deductible period during the rental term?

Once you know your out of pocket costs, you can compare to buying it new online or buying a used one from a reputable company like secondwind.com, or taking a little more risk to buy from Craigslist.

If you buy it online from a reputable supplier like our hosts SOME insurance companies will reimburse you--many will not. You need to ask before you buy, so you know if insurance will help with the costs or not, and how much.

Gasper62 wrote:Behind the times much ? ~~ https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... idair.html

Yeah, but she said the women's machine he'd be getting is a Respironics Dreamstation. Respironics doesn't make a "for her" model, do they?

Thatgirl wrote:

Gasper62 wrote:Behind the times much ? ~~ https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... idair.html

Yeah, but she said the women's machine he'd be getting is a Respironics Dreamstation. Respironics doesn't make a "for her" model, do they?

Uhhh, that post was strictly in response to someone making definitive statements in their post without any current basis in fact. Nothing more.

Gasper62 wrote:

Thatgirl wrote:

Gasper62 wrote:Behind the times much ? ~~ https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... idair.html

Yeah, but she said the women's machine he'd be getting is a Respironics Dreamstation. Respironics doesn't make a "for her" model, do they?

Uhhh, that post was strictly in response to someone making definitive statements in their post without any current basis in fact. Nothing more.

Okay, I just still think the person at their DME is a bit confused, because there's no Dreamstation for Her.