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1. IF you have to pay 50% don't use your insurance company DME. To start with, they will overcharge you upwards of $1700 for a $750 machine, meaning you portion would be half of that or $850.00 out of pocket (not including the doctor). Then they will want to put you on this ripoff rent-to-own schedule costing you even more.

2. Browse cpap.com for an Autopap machine and observe the price by comparison.

3. I would not overlook the PB-420e autopap. It is a great little machine, quieter than both you are looking at. It also offers "some" relief on exhale, they just don't call it a feature, but you can clearly hear and feel it working as opposed to straight cpap.

4. 420e's Silverlining reporting software is better than both you are looking at and much easier to use, no memory cards to hassle and deal with, simple serial or USB to serial connection or even a modem is all it needs. Its reports will give you more details than the ones you are looking at. It is also more flexible with apnea response settings so if you have some issues where the others have failed you can tweak the 420e so it responds better.

I just purchased a 420e a week ago and have been using it since, I only paid $549 for it including the heated humidifier. I just found the best price online then had cpap.com match the price and they did.

Get a copy of your PSG lab test and prescription from your doctor for the machine and buy it online, comes with the clinical manual and you can set it up yourself. Setting it up via Silverlining software is simple just point and click. It even has a backlit LCD and time clock.

Thanks for sharing the info on the PB 420E AutoPAP, SnoreDog. The more I read its praises the more intrigued I become.

One important additional point: if you are a MAC user, and do not have the new dual core MACs which can also run the Windows operating system, then (to the best of my knowledge) neither the Resmed or Remstar software packages will work. In that case, the visual data readily available on the Resmed (pressure, AHI, AI, HI, usage time) becomes a major plus for the Resmed.

Although I did get a Windows laptop so I could run the Resmed software, I rarely use it. I do check the available data on the unit every time I wake up so I can see how I've been doing. I find that this gives me enough informatin. Hope this helps.

Chazz

Chazz, I most wholeheartedly agree w/you about the advantage of the Resmeds w/the amount of info easily available via the LED screen.

Even tho the Respironics M series has an improved LED screen and more info available than the older classics there is still the hassle of unplugging the machine and plugging it back in whilst holding down a button or buttons. With the Resmeds it is just a matter of holding down the proper buttons for 3-4 seconds period. That's all. So much more convenient.

I have both the Resmed Vantage Auto and the Respironics Classic Auto. The Resmed was the DME's choice, I bought the Respironics "Tank" about 4 months later from Cpap.com. I'm sure glad I made the out of pocket choice, the Respironcis machine is much more quiet, my numbers are lower by 3 or 4 Ahi's I love it. I use the breeze nasal mask and couldn't be happier.
Good luck!