CPAPtalk.com

I highly doubt that I will be receiving a "form letter" response like MHS received. If I do, it'll mean they didn't read my e-mail to them.
The following is what I sent them:


Subject: Internet seller pricing policy

Please route this to the "genius" that came up with the new Internet seller sales/pricing scheme.

To whom it may concern:

A year and a half ago I was diagnosed with OSA. Since then, I have purchased ALL of my equipment from an Internet supplier. My initial purchases were out-of-pocket and then billed to my insurance provider who reimbursed me at the "in-network" rate (which saved us all a good deal of money). I would NEVER use a local ("brick & mortar") DME supplier, nor do I recommend anyone else doing so, either. I have read and heard far too many horror stories about unscrupulous and inept B&M suppliers ripping off OSA/CSA patients. It is my opinion (and the opinion of many others) that Internet suppliers offer far superior service to their customers than do the typical B&M DMEs.
Of the equipment I purchased, one item was the Ultra Mirage Full Face mask. It is the ONLY one I have used.

The main reason for my writing this e-mail is to inform you that from here on, I will NEVER purchase another ResMed product!

I would like to remind you that a large percentage of the Internet sales are for additional machines, masks and other equipment by existing xPAP users. Another significant number of Internet sales are to apnea sufferers who don't have insurance coverage (or poor coverage and they wish to purchase out-of-pocket), and then there are others (like me) who get reimbursed by our insurance providers. Your policies will be, thereby, harming those who need the most help financially.

It is my belief that these new policies of yours will be a detriment to many......including YOUR "bottom line".

Sincerely,

(my name and address)

Den,

Don't you wish that your email would at least be read by someone at ResMed to whom your words would carry some meaning? Alas, I'm sure that it will be lost in the multiple layers of filtering that allows only the agreeable correspondence make it through to those who matter.

When Resmed refers to the great majority of initial PAP usere, they are probably right that they are uninformed.
We are a forturate minority of users who are computer literate and have had varying experiences with our treatment and the ability to understand participated in our therapy.

But the vast majority of new users are not sophisticated and probably not aware of even ONE online forum to pick our collective minds on all the problems a new user faces.
Most rely on their doc and DME and ASSUME they are getting best advice.

Resmed is addressing these folks and ignoring the benefit they can get from online dealers, who in many cases are only offering a product for a price.

I Still fail to understand how this problem is helped by increasing the prices to the dealers. How do they think this helps the USER???
Our ranting will likely have little impact on Resmed.
They do not think like we do.

Tom & Wader,

I agree and share your same questions. It was just a "feel good" moment for me that won't mean a "hill of beans" in the whole scheme of things. ResMad will only see the light when their bottom line starts falling. It's been reported here by some of those who are closer to the DME sector that Respironics is gaining ground in that area. The way I understand it is that DMEs are dropping ResMad in favor of Respironics products.

As far as ResMad's online prices go, they're still cheaper than the local DME prices. I've reported before that a year and a half ago, a local DME quoted me $255 (and wanted to charge me another $60 for the headgear) for an Ultra Mirage Full Face mask....which is now about $185 at CPAP.COM. (Interesting side note.....the post-Oct. 1 online prices had been around $208 and seems to be coming back down)

I wish I knew what was going on behind the boardroom doors......

Den

Wulfman wrote:
I wish I knew what was going on behind the boardroom doors......

Den

I'd like to get my butt behind those boardroom doors and ask "what's going on?"

Den, you're welcome to come along ...Can't you just picture the look on their faces?

I also noticed the changing prices. The swift pillows have gone up then down too.

I think I remember close to $40 for pillows after to big announcement as opposed to $29.99 before all this, now I see $34.50. Still, the whole thing turns my stomach.

I was actually being all-inclusive with the boardroom doors comment. I was also wondering about the online providers, the B&M providers and ResMad's competition.

There's a poll in the current HME News online publication about another segment of their industry. Listed below is the text version of the questions and the options the voters have to choose from:

CMS plans to slash reimbursement for power mobility devices by up to 40%. How will you cope with these cuts? (Please select one.)

Go out of business
Eliminate power wheelchairs and scooters from your product mix
Cease doing business with Medicare
Seek and provide less expensive technology
Other

Do you think there's a good opportunity to sell power mobility devices for cash to help off-set the cuts?

Very good chance
Good chance
Minimal chance


Their industry is under a lot of pressure to cut costs in a number of areas. I'm not aware of online (Internet) sellers of "power mobility devices" such as in the XPAP segment....but, maybe there are.....
In any case, they're getting beat up (financially) by a number of groups.

Den

Den,

I too, am curious about the "boardroom" discussions in all sectors of the cpap retailing industry. I think Johnny occasionally gives us a little peek here.

Regarding the mobility chair industry... seems the circumstance addressed by the poll is as a result of downward price pressure which is likely a good thing. My guess is the results of this poll will be used as a scare tactic to claim users will no longer be able to get a power chair if medicare goes through with it's reimbursement decrease plans.

Well, it's like someone said in a post the other day "putting the words 'Medical Equipment' on something is a license to steal".
They use their scare tactics, intimidation and believe that they're talking to a bunch of dummies who are totally gullible (US).

Unfortunately, it's too late for some, by the time they find these forums and realize how badly they and their insurance providers got screwed.
It's interesting to read the posts of the "informed" users who have gone back to their doctors and DME providers and leave them stammering in that they now can't BS their patients and customers.

Knowledge is power.

Den