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Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:34 pm

Definitely something to consider, thank you.

I was wondering also, if the machine fails in 9 months, well by then I'll be on Medicare and wouldn't Medicare cover a new machine?

Medicare will pay to fix the machine (assuming it is out of warranty) if fixing is cheaper than replacing it. They will do this anytime after the 2 year mark when the warranty ends.
Medicare doesn't automatically replace a machine very often at the 5 year mark anymore despite what it says for their replacement allowance. More and more people are being told that the machine has to be broken and it would cost more to repair it than it is worth and after 5 years the machine isn't going to be worth much.

First 2 years everyone falls back on the 2 year manufacturer warranty.

IMHO the extended warranty might (stress the might part) be useful only if someone didn't have any form of insurance that would pay for a machine that failed after the warranty time frame had expired.
If I have insurance that I could use then I would put that $75 towards a back up machine first.

But some people just feel better if they know they have an extended warranty on something they buy. My own mother is one of these people and she's hard headed (guess where I get my hard headedness from ) and I learned a long time ago not worth fighting over.
Peace of mind is priceless sometimes.

Is Medicare going to pay for repair/replacement of a machine that was initially purchased by another insurer?

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 2:05 pm

Is Medicare going to pay for repair/replacement of a machine that was initially purchased by another insurer?

Yep. Medicare doesn't care where you got your existing machine. Now there are some paperwork issues you will have to go through when you get on Medicare to get Medicare to cover your supplies and/or have that machine be covered but Medicare does this all the time for people who are on cpap prior to going on Medicare.

You would have to jump through some compliance usage hoops but even people already on Medicare have to jump through those same hoops when they get a new machine.

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:59 pm

After calling my healthcare insurance provider it becomes clearer.

My doctor could have submitted the machine request as a 5 year rental or outright purchase. If they had done a 5 year rental the DME that provided it is responsible to keep it running for 5 years at no cost. I'm sure they add a premium into the monthly fee to cover that.

If you'd *rented* that machine for 5 years, you'd have paid many times what it costs to buy one.

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:59 pm

After calling my healthcare insurance provider it becomes clearer.

My doctor could have submitted the machine request as a 5 year rental or outright purchase. If they had done a 5 year rental the DME that provided it is responsible to keep it running for 5 years at no cost. I'm sure they add a premium into the monthly fee to cover that.

OTOH my doctor put in a request to my healthcare insurance provider for an outright purchase, it was approved, I now own the machine. So if I want any coverage past the 2 year manufacturers warranty I have to pay for it.

Still waiting for the details about the extended warranty but apparently it just mirrors Resmed's warranty.

Still sounds like a scam to me in your case, since you are about to go on Medicare. Since your insurer bought the machine outright for you, Medicare has not paid for a machine for you. If anything happens to that machine, then Medicare will provide you with a machine (note that you will have out of pocket costs for deductible and at least a 13 month "capped rental" co-pay unless your supplemental insurance covers that--you should ask when shopping for supplemental insurance). If anything happens in the 9 months between now and Medicare, the warranty that's already on the machine should cover it.

Once on Medicare, the DME is responsible for fixing the machine provided by Medicare for 5 years unless it can't be fixed, in which case Medicare will cover a new machine (I think again on a 13 month capped rental but don't quote me on that).

If you choose a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO), you will have perpetual rental of the machine and most likely co-pays and annual deductibles forever, but you will always have coverage for repairs or replacements.

IMHO this "machine insurance" will not benefit you.

Cardsfan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:01 pm

What exactly do you get for $75.?

Mainly relieved of 75.00, and a chance to argue with them at time of need, if they are still in business. Jim

palerider wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:32 pm

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:59 pm

After calling my healthcare insurance provider it becomes clearer.

My doctor could have submitted the machine request as a 5 year rental or outright purchase. If they had done a 5 year rental the DME that provided it is responsible to keep it running for 5 years at no cost. I'm sure they add a premium into the monthly fee to cover that.

If you'd *rented* that machine for 5 years, you'd have paid many times what it costs to buy one.

I'm not paying anything, the Insurnace Co, would have rented it, not me.

So it comes down to how reliable are these machines if not dropped on the floor? Because if Medicare is going to get me another one in 9 months it might be worth it to cover this one for the full 5 years as a backup.

Janknitz wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 3:46 pm

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:59 pm

After calling my healthcare insurance provider it becomes clearer.

My doctor could have submitted the machine request as a 5 year rental or outright purchase. If they had done a 5 year rental the DME that provided it is responsible to keep it running for 5 years at no cost. I'm sure they add a premium into the monthly fee to cover that.

OTOH my doctor put in a request to my healthcare insurance provider for an outright purchase, it was approved, I now own the machine. So if I want any coverage past the 2 year manufacturers warranty I have to pay for it.

Still waiting for the details about the extended warranty but apparently it just mirrors Resmed's warranty.

Still sounds like a scam to me in your case, since you are about to go on Medicare. Since your insurer bought the machine outright for you, Medicare has not paid for a machine for you. If anything happens to that machine, then Medicare will provide you with a machine (note that you will have out of pocket costs for deductible and at least a 13 month "capped rental" co-pay unless your supplemental insurance covers that--you should ask when shopping for supplemental insurance). If anything happens in the 9 months between now and Medicare, the warranty that's already on the machine should cover it.

Once on Medicare, the DME is responsible for fixing the machine provided by Medicare for 5 years unless it can't be fixed, in which case Medicare will cover a new machine (I think again on a 13 month capped rental but don't quote me on that).

If you choose a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO), you will have perpetual rental of the machine and most likely co-pays and annual deductibles forever, but you will always have coverage for repairs or replacements.

IMHO this "machine insurance" will not benefit you.

I have a Medicare Advantage Plan HMO and 4 months ago they bought me a new machine...13 month rent to own. (<$12 mo)

Here's the explanation of coverage they sent.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:03 pm

I have a Medicare Advantage Plan HMO and 4 months ago they bought me a new machine...13 month rent to own. (<$12 mo)

It depends on the Medicare Advantage Plan on how they want to handle things. More and more of the Advantage Plans only do the perpetual rental now. I know that my new plan clearly states I never own it and it's a perpetual rental.

People with Advantage plans or HMO plans need to read their explanation of coverage benefits documents very carefully so they don't get any ugly surprises.

Also people need to check their Advantage plans every year even if they don't change actual Advantage plans because the insurance company providing the Advantage plan can change the coverage if they want to.

I would skip the insurance. Medicare should take care of you if the machine breaks after its initial (2 year?) warranty period. As far as I can tell, most machines last many years beyond their warranty.

Also, you can pick up a lightly-used machine for a lot less than retail price. I just got a lightly used Resmed for my husband. It had only been used for about a month and it cost about half of retail price. I got mine from LSAT here on the forum and it just arrived yesterday looking like new. I would go that route if you want a backup machine.

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:02 pm

So it comes down to how reliable are these machines if not dropped on the floor? Because if Medicare is going to get me another one in 9 months it might be worth it to cover this one for the full 5 years as a backup.

It's clear that you REALLY REALLY want to give them another 75 bucks...

Why don't you just get it over with...

palerider wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:15 pm

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:02 pm

So it comes down to how reliable are these machines if not dropped on the floor? Because if Medicare is going to get me another one in 9 months it might be worth it to cover this one for the full 5 years as a backup.

It's clear that you REALLY REALLY want to give them another 75 bucks...

Why don't you just get it over with...

The contract is not clear.

See this portion: "entitled to a device of equal value as their broken device"

But equal value as their broken device as to which point in time?

Is it the value of the device when broken? At purchase? At some period in the middle? How do they figure in depreciation? Are they factoring in depreciation?

I would pass. Too many variables.

An extended warranty through Squaretrade is probably better, assuming they would cover medical equipment.

zonker wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:34 pm

palerider wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:15 pm

Recoil Rob wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:02 pm

So it comes down to how reliable are these machines if not dropped on the floor? Because if Medicare is going to get me another one in 9 months it might be worth it to cover this one for the full 5 years as a backup.

It's clear that you REALLY REALLY want to give them another 75 bucks...

Why don't you just get it over with...

Not really, but as is true most times on the web, I got lot's of opinions, but not many answers to my original inquiry, which was, how reliable are these type machines?