Annual machine checkup

jupmalis · Post by **jupmalis** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:22 am

Hi. I just got my machine a month and a half ago, and the DME has already sent me a letter suggesting I book for the checkup, as they 'go fast'.

With a three year warranty on the machine, why don't I just wait until it stops working?

And what would they do for $60 anyway - apart from seeing if it turns on, check the pressure and look at the filter?

My machine is just a straight CPAP, no exhalation relief or software.

I would appreciate your comments.

p.s. I never buy extended warranties, so why would I do this.

sleepie · Post by **sleepie** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:35 am

i would say---that they are robbing you or your ins co---for the 60 balloons

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:26 am

[quote="jupmalis"]Hi. I just got my machine a month and a half ago, and the DME has already sent me a letter suggesting I book for the checkup, as they 'go fast'.

With a three year warranty on the machine, why don't I just wait until it stops working?

And what would they do for $60 anyway - apart from seeing if it turns on, check the pressure and look at the filter?

My machine is just a straight CPAP, no exhalation relief or software.

I would appreciate your comments.

p.s. I never buy extended warranties, so why would I do this.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:09 pm

jupmalis wrote:Hi. I just got my machine a month and a half ago, and the DME has already sent me a letter suggesting I book for the checkup, as they 'go fast'.

With a three year warranty on the machine, why don't I just wait until it stops working?

And what would they do for $60 anyway - apart from seeing if it turns on, check the pressure and look at the filter?

My machine is just a straight CPAP, no exhalation relief or software.

I would appreciate your comments.

p.s. I never buy extended warranties, so why would I do this.

With about 9 others like you they can make a monthly payment on their beemer ...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:14 pm

yeah god forbid a DME make any profit at all....

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:23 pm

Anonymous wrote:yeah god forbid a DME make any profit at all....

Or have any ethics or morals.

Obviously, yours was simply just a sarcastic comment -
But, If the only way the DME can make a profit is by cheating their customers - they are doing something wrong, my friend.

I mean Guess, I mean Guest.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:05 pm

ROBBERY, is part of your DME's business plan. Give you a low end blower, bill the INS four times what it's worth, Get you to kick in $60 a year until the fourth year and then tell you it's time to replace it. And the DME gets to ride the train again.

Bonnie and Clide, didn't have a plan that good. Jim

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jules · Post by **jules** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:11 pm

2 years or 3 for machine warranty?

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:49 pm

Warrenty for two years. Most brands are two years. Jim

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:46 pm

jupmalis wrote:With a three year warranty on the machine, why don't I just wait until it stops working?

Quite apart from the annual check up question, the issue of what you will do if your machine stops working is definitely non-trivial. While you can certainly get it repaired under warranty, you need to find out what you can do about getting hold of a replacement (that you know how to use) while your primary machine is away getting repaired.

The impact of not using CPAP will become apparent very quickly, so you should be aiming to have a temporary replacement available within a day (at longest) if you experience a problem.

jupmalis wrote:And what would they do for $60 anyway - apart from seeing if it turns on, check the pressure and look at the filter?

It's your call, but instead of just assuming, why not ask them specifically what they would do to earn their $60?

Cheers,

Bill

jupmalis · Post by **jupmalis** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:54 am

Apart from Bill, I seem to have attracted the DME bashers.

Is the idea of an annual machine checkup foreign to users of this forum? What is your experience of machine failure in the first few years of use? Does the machine fail gradually or all at once? In particular, what is the chance that the machine is producing a pressure that is different from what it is set to?

Come on folks, I am looking for information, and that is what this site offered.

I have already made up my mind about the DME involved, in that they are very profit focused while professing a deep care about their clients, and feel it would be better to put the checkup money into a second machine.

p.s. Here in Ontario, a three year warranty is required. And with government support and no personal insurance, the pricing and economics are way different from what you experience in the states. For example, my basic CPAP equipment was priced at $1040, of which I paid $260. This might cost a bit over $400 from cpap.com, but would be all out of my pocket. If I wanted to upgrade, it would have to be from an Ontario DME at inflated prices, and it would be entirely out of my pocket.

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:59 am

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!
Since DME's make sooo much money, why don't we chip in our pennies and start a DME shop and we can ALL get rich!

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:10 am

Bill gave you the best advice ... put your $60 towards a back-up machine, or upgrade and use your current as a back-up.

I think you answered you own question in your initial post...

jupmalis wrote:… snip …

And what would they do for $60 anyway - apart from seeing if it turns on, check the pressure and look at the filter?

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:27 am

Some companies require the pressure provided by their machine is checked once a year. Some don't - your best source for that is the official site of the company.

Those of us who use self adjusting machines with software care less about the exact pressure the machine supplies - we monitor our own results, and set the pressure accordingly.

My first machine died after about a year. It suddenly stopped supplying the right pressure, whirred up and down dramatically, and I had the software report to prove it - my DME (in Israel) didn't even look at the report. I had a new (probably refurbished) machine delivered within 24 hours of informing him of the problem - and I'm satisfied with the one I have.

SMDS - Sudden Machine Death Syndrom does occur. Does a yearly "check up" help in avoiding it? Your guess is as good as mine - and you'll know better if you ask your DME what they do during that "checkup". My guess is that they just do a pressure calibration - they may even recalibrate it - which is important if you don't have a self adjusting machine, and have a "straight CPAP" that is a machine that is not self-adjusting and must supply you with the exact pressure prescribed by the doctor.

O.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:14 am

your DME is just out to rip you off, there is no oil to change, there is a filter on the back, but I'd order those online and save.

Annual machine checkup

Annual machine checkup

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Re: Annual machine checkup

Re: Annual machine checkup

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