RESMED TO INCREASE PRICES SIGNIFICANTLY TO INTERNET CUSTOMER

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:11 pm

No meaningful enforcement of anti-trust laws??? The Supreme Count and our government have been bending over backwards to ENCOURAGE mergers! Look at the banking industry. Heck, not only no enforcement, the idiots on the Supreme Court recently ruled to ALLOW MINIUMUM PRICE SETTING! And ruled to proctect medical device manufacturers from patients who receive faulty medical devices. In addition to which they are considering a similar protection for drug makers!!! And protecting drug patents by allowing drug company giants to "buy off" generic drug manufacturers. I'll repeat yet again, our government is selling its soul!!!

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:19 pm

... and look who calls the kettle black, while legislating from the bench

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:37 pm

Well, when you get done with those previously mentioned companies, you can untangle the ownership of Puritan Bennett......Tyco International/Tyco Healthcare/Covidien. (headquarters moved to Bermuda for tax purposes)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyco_International

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyco_Healthcare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritan_Bennett

http://covidien.com/covidien/pageBuilde ... eID=161203

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=COV

Den

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:57 pm

What about DeVilBiss and AEIOMed, Wulfman?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:27 pm

Slinky wrote:What about DeVilBiss and AEIOMed, Wulfman?

Give me time......

DeVilBiss makes paint sprayers, air power tools and other stuff.....

Actually, I was looking for their stuff a few days ago and I think the healthcare division is owned by some other entity......Oh, yeah.....here it is.....

http://www.sovereign-publications.com/s ... edical.htm

http://www.sunrisemedical.com/index.jsp

Type in "CPAP" in the website's search function and it'll take you to the page (it was a very long link to post here).

Den

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:33 pm

http://www.aeiomed.com/

http://www.aeiomed.com/news.asp

http://www.aeiomed.com/evo_release.pdf

http://www.evomedical.com/

Den

patientadvocate · Post by **patientadvocate** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:58 pm

Resmed has made it very clear that they do not want internet compnaies selling their products. They are afraid that the insurance industry is going to see the lower prices and lower their reimbursments for the brick and mortar compnaies. If anyone really looks at the big picture you will see that this is all being driven by the large DME compnaies out there and the interent compnaies are giving them a run for their money. Respironics will not tell any company what they can sell their product for only what they have to adverstise the product for. As an internet dealer myself, we stand firm in our position that this is America and we should be able to sell a product for what we deem is acceptable. There are over 1 million cpap users who purchase from online dealers every year and I can only say that if Ben Cheeh would hear from all of you that may make him think about what he is doing. I would also recommend contacting your local news organizations, Congress person, CMS which is a division of Medicare, local sleep labs, doctors and even that DME company that wants to keep prices high. If we as a group don't stand united to face the manufacturers like Resmed, we are all screwed in the long run. Also go directly to the big stock holders with Resmed and express your frustration with their policies. Tell Resmed to go back to Australia and leave Americans alone. One voice equals two eawuals three and so on. It only takes a little bit of time to make a difference. To the companies like CPAP.com and CpapSupplyUSA.com who stood up and continues to stand up against Resmed. Qudos to the both of you for standing behind the patient and not bowing to Resmed's demands.

neverbetter · Post by **neverbetter** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:06 pm

Innomed is a USA company , as well as the company that makes the Bravo and the Hybrid (Respcare).
That is, I think they are US companies. You never know anymore.

Who else is out there? Invacare? where are they from?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:11 pm

neverbetter wrote:Innomed is a USA company , as well as the company that makes the Bravo and the Hybrid (Respcare).
That is, I think they are US companies. You never know anymore.

Who else is out there? Invacare? where are they from?

Internet searches will tell you. You can also post your findings here, like I did.

Den

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:19 pm

Thanks for posting the DeVilBiss URL, Den. I did try searching but got lost amongst all their air power tools and paint sprayers and never found them or at least their CPAP or healthcare division.

Oooops! Thanks for posting AIEOMed's too. Dial up can be such a PITA! So AEIOMed of MN sold out to or contracted distribution of their products (that AEIOMed news URL gave me an error message) to Evo of IA who is also the US distributor for the products of Weinmann company of Germany?? Am I following the chain of events right?

So:
Resmed = Australia
Respironics = Netherlands (Phillips)
Puritan Bennet = Bermuda (Tyco)
DeVilBiss = UK (Sunrise)
Fisher & Paykel = New Zealand

God bless NAFTA and our US government.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:38 pm

SERIOUS QUESTION:

There is a local DME who gives AMAZING patient services to CPAP users and loves every one. They also boast a 95% compliance rate. They have a robust supply replacement in place and all of the local doctors think this DME is the best.

Question: They bill insurance $1100 for a CPAP. This cost covers not only the equipment, but all of the costs incurred in providing this excellent patient support like 3 delivery vans, 4 RTs on staff, local advertising, patient lunches, etc.

I guess they're thiefs huh and don't deserve to bill for the $1,100. I wonder what would happen to this great level of patient care if they had to start billing $500 for a CPAP "because someone saw it cheaper online."

What say you?

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:43 pm

WNJ wrote:FWIW, the FDA has no role in regulating the pricing of medical devices. Their role is in approving them as to safety and efficacy.

The nature of any regulation in markets is that it definitely does impact price in a number of ways, even if the price per se is not specifically regulated. For instance regulatory approval processes build cost into the price base, and caveats/restrictions how a product can be retailed also have potential price impacts etc.

Cheers,

Bill

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:52 pm

The trouble is, those of us here for the most part have NOT been able to find a DME like you describe, Guest. Or their insurance isn't contracted w/them! We have one like you describe in our area, but respiratory products is all of their business and insurance isn't contracted w/them. My first local DME supplier was the typical for the experiences is this forum, a sheister. My current local DME is darn good, I have no complaints, but they don't have 4 RTs! So far as I know they have only one and he is not in our local office but reachable by phone and great about returning calls. I'm not gonna begrudge my current local DME at all.

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:53 pm

Slinky wrote:Resmed = Australia

Resmed has been legally been headquartered in the US, as a US Corporation, for quite a long time now. The Australian arm, which does design and manufacturing is a subsidiary of the US Resmed corporation.

Given the recent buyout of Respironics, Resmed may be the only US based company manufacturing CPAP equipment!

Cheers,

Bill

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:58 pm

Not quite, Bill. Respironics is and still will be manufactured in Pennsylvania, USA. Its the parent companies we've been tracing.

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