New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Brit · Post by **Brit** » Thu Aug 08, 2019 5:23 pm

I got the Philips Dream Station yesterday to try for a month, not doing to bad with it on the first night, managed 5 hours before having to take the mask off. Will see if l can do better tonight. It says PN:CAX501T12C on the bottom of it. So my question is, if l like it l can purchase one, how do l know l am not getting an older model? I also read about the screen light being able to dim if software is updated, it says 1.0.5 on the provider screen. Can the clinic update it with out me having to take it in, it needs to be 1.1.1?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:56 pm

Look on the bottom of the blower on a little sticker for an 8 digit number. I think Respironics is still doing this...the 8 digits are code for the birthdate of the machine in year/month/date format
Example
20190501 means born on May 1, 2019.

To my knowledge the only way to get firmware updates to the machine itself is from the manufacturer...equipment suppliers aren't able to do it.

Now they might be able to force an update over the cellular data system that the machine uses but firmware updates with any of these machines are extremely rare.

You might ask your supplier about it. I don't think they can do it.

D.H. · Post by **D.H.** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:52 am

I would get either the Philips Dreamstation Auto or the ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset. If you're happy with your Dream Station, I suggest you stick with it and get the former. If you live in the U.S., either one of these new should cost between $750 and $1000 if you pay entirely out of pocket. I don't believe that this is subject to sales tax in any state.

BTW, since you were able to use it for five hours the first night, you should be able to meet at least the medicare standard for compliance (which is generally the standard followed by private insurance). That means that is you have decent medical insurance, it will cost you less to go through the insurance. Generally, you rent to buy (and you must be "compliant"). I think I had to rent for thirteen months, and then I owned. I believe I paid under $5 per month.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:35 am

From the stated serial number I don't think that the OP is in the US and any discussion about Medicare or our insurance in the USA is moot.

I am thinking maybe Canada...and if so, we don't know which province and each province has their own, and sometimes very different, insurance if they even have any.

D.H. · Post by **D.H.** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:03 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:35 am
From the stated serial number I don't think that the OP is in the US and any discussion about Medicare or our insurance in the USA is moot.

I am thinking maybe Canada...and if so, we don't know which province and each province has their own, and sometimes very different, insurance if they even have any.

I suspect that U.S. medicare guidelines are similar to guidelines followed by public and private insurance in most other countries. If the OP is in Canada, CPAP might cost as much CDN$500 up front (depending on the province), but the rest will be covered by public insurance, provided that the the OP already has a prescription.

Cpapian · Post by **Cpapian** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:06 am

D.H. wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:03 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:35 am
From the stated serial number I don't think that the OP is in the US and any discussion about Medicare or our insurance in the USA is moot.

I am thinking maybe Canada...and if so, we don't know which province and each province has their own, and sometimes very different, insurance if they even have any.
I suspect that U.S. medicare guidelines are similar to guidelines followed by public and private insurance in most other countries. If the OP is in Canada, CPAP might cost as much CDN$500 up front (depending on the province), but the rest will be covered by public insurance, provided that the the OP already has a prescription.

Not even close.

Dog Slobber · Post by **Dog Slobber** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:13 am

D.H. wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:03 am
If the OP is in Canada, CPAP might cost as much CDN$500 up front (depending on the province), but the rest will be covered by public insurance, provided that the the OP already has a prescription.

This isn't even close to how CPAP is funded in Canada (or the provinces), nor how insurance works.

Yes, in Canada we have a publicly funded healthcare system. But for the most part, that does NOT extend to medical prescriptions. My Gosh, you just can't resist inserting your made up crap into every topic you see.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:14 am

Cpapian wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:06 am
Not even close.

He doesn't have a clue does he? He's like a lot of people who think that everyone in Canada has this great national insurance that pays for everything but you just might have to wait for it....and if you don't have money the government just gives it to you.
Nothing is further from the truth.
In some provinces cpap supplies aren't covered at all and if you don't have any money you are SOL.

Cpapian · Post by **Cpapian** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:27 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:14 am

Cpapian wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:06 am
Not even close.
He doesn't have a clue does he? He's like a lot of people who think that everyone in Canada has this great national insurance that pays for everything but you just might have to wait for it....and if you don't have money the government just gives it to you.
Nothing is further from the truth.
In some provinces cpap supplies aren't covered at all and if you don't have any money you are SOL.

These days, the new buzz word is "health care by area code".

We are so different here ........ why yesterday I went to a DME who was amazingly excellent!

babydinosnoreless · Post by **babydinosnoreless** » Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:37 am

D.H. wrote: ↑
Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:52 am
I would get either the Philips Dreamstation Auto or the ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset. If you're happy with your Dream Station, I suggest you stick with it and get the former. If you live in the U.S., either one of these new should cost between $750 and $1000 if you pay entirely out of pocket. I don't believe that this is subject to sales tax in any state.

BTW, since you were able to use it for five hours the first night, you should be able to meet at least the medicare standard for compliance (which is generally the standard followed by private insurance). That means that is you have decent medical insurance, it will cost you less to go through the insurance. Generally, you rent to buy (and you must be "compliant"). I think I had to rent for thirteen months, and then I owned. I believe I paid under $5 per month.

You really can't generalize like that. I had good insurance, it didn't cover durable medical equipment but it covered a lot of other stuff. So I went without a machine for over a year. Now I have a different insurance and its $79 a month for renting a machine. (That's after a down payment of almost $500) I bought a back up machine from LSAT that was less than what I am paying to rent using my insurance. If I had known then what I know today I would never have even used insurance for the machine but by the time I found this place I was already locked into a contract with the DME. I won't make the mistake of trusting a DME again.

Brit · Post by **Brit** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:33 pm

I am in Alberta, Canada. I am being quoted $2700 cad for the Philips Dream Station Flex and mask from the clinic, once my month is up. Been told there is no way to turn down the brightness of the screen.

Okie bipap · Post by **Okie bipap** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:44 pm

I believe Secondwind CPAP will ship machines to Canada. Check their prices. They offer new, out of box machines as well as lightly used machines. They offer warranties on all of they machines.

D.H. · Post by **D.H.** » Sat Aug 10, 2019 5:59 pm

Okie bipap wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:44 pm
I believe Secondwind CPAP will ship machines to Canada. Check their prices. They offer new, out of box machines as well as lightly used machines. They offer warranties on all of they machines.

I checked their facebook page. They have international customers in Canada and Australia (and probably elsewhere).

Cpapian · Post by **Cpapian** » Sun Aug 11, 2019 7:47 am

Brit wrote: ↑
Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:33 pm
I am in Alberta, Canada. I am being quoted $2700 cad for the Philips Dream Station Flex and mask from the clinic, once my month is up. Been told there is no way to turn down the brightness of the screen.

Try Sleep Yeti. They are an online retailer of Xpap equipment from Alberta (I believe) and they charge Ontario prices. Less than 1/3 of your quote. I have purchased from them and everything was as it should be. Or Cpapmachines.ca. both are Canadian online companies I have dealt with and so far, both reliable. Sleep Yeti will probably give you 10% off on your first order. Both places will probably have a labour day sale on that weekend. If you have Extended Health, I know for sure Cpapmachines will give you a predetermination.

I alternate between the two to get the best overall price.

You might want to look into Alberta government program for CPAP. I vaguely recall something being covered when it is a work related need.

New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

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Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Re: New to Cpap and have a rental machine for a month

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Auto PAP; 13.5 cmH2O min - 20 cmH2O max