Please help me find a quality provider in Atlanta area!

I'm a noob and have been lurking for the past several weeks trying to get up to speed.

I went to the designated DME on Friday and was disappointed to find that they only presented one unit and one mask. I was hoping and expecting to try a few masks to see how they felt. I told this DME "I would have to think about it" (they said I was the first to leave without the gear!)
What they offered was the ResMed Escape II machine and the ResMed Mirage Micro Mask. These seemed pretty comfortable and I think I could live with them; but I'd really like to find a provider who is willing to spend time trying to find optimal results and work as a partner to assist in interpreting the data, etc.

It doesn't matter if the new provider is in my insurance network. I've had a busy medical year and have topped out my out-of-network coinsurance, so insurance pays 100% for the rest of the year. OTOH, I have no problem paying my in-network copay as long as I'm getting quality treatment. Hopefully, some of you live in the Atlanta area and have good (or otterwise) experiences to share. Please feel free to PM me if you would like.

TIA!

PS - FWIW, I live in Woodstock, but don't mind a drive to get a good start.

Rogue, honey, I think the machine these people offered you is probably not the one you want. I don't think the Escape provides detailed daily data, only summary data. On our host site, cpap.com, there is less than $100 in price between the Escape & the top-of-the-line S9.

There are several forum members in the Atlanta area, I'm confident one of them will be along shortly to give you better info on local providers, but even from Texas I can see that this first place you went to probably isn't the one you want to do business with.

ResMed Escape is an '08 model machine. I don't think it is a fully data capable machine. Compliance data only, I think. You want a fully data capable machine so you can monitor your own therapy and be pro-active in your health issues.

If you can get it, I'd ask for a ResMed S9 Auto Set or Respironics PR One Auto Cpap. If Auto is not approved for you (some insurances won't approve these unless medically necessary), go for ResMed S9 Elite or Respironics PR One REMSTAR Pro CPAP. These machines are all fully data capable (with software you must get separately). DME's don't want you to know about the software, but it is available for you to use if you ask here for the link/info. Someone with the links will PM you the details.

Be firm and tell the DME that the Escape is not what you want!

Go to this thread to read about the Atlanta Meet up happening 8/21: viewtopic/t54340/Atlanta-Area-Meetup-82 ... ml#p506912

brazospearl wrote:Rogue, honey, I think the machine these people offered you is probably not the one you want. I don't think the Escape provides detailed daily data, only summary data. On our host site, cpap.com, there is less than $100 in price between the Escape & the top-of-the-line S9.

There are several forum members in the Atlanta area, I'm confident one of them will be along shortly to give you better info on local providers, but even from Texas I can see that this first place you went to probably isn't the one you want to do business with.

Thanks for the reinforcement of my initial impression. I know that is not the unit I would buy if I was buying over the internet; but feel I need to get local support until things are more wrote.

Emilia wrote:ResMed Escape is an '08 model machine. I don't think it is a fully data capable machine. Compliance data only, I think. You want a fully data capable machine so you can monitor your own therapy and be pro-active in your health issues.

If you can get it, I'd ask for a ResMed S9 Auto Set or Respironics PR One Auto Cpap. If Auto is not approved for you (some insurances won't approve these unless medically necessary), go for ResMed S9 Elite or Respironics PR One REMSTAR Pro CPAP. These machines are all fully data capable (with software you must get separately). DME's don't want you to know about the software, but it is available for you to use if you ask here for the link/info. Someone with the links will PM you the details.

Be firm and tell the DME that the Escape is not what you want!

This is the Escape II or Escape 2, which I think is a current machine. It definitely was quieter and easier to breath against than the one at the sleep lab. I asked about data and they said "compliance only". On my way out the door, they said that they could get other models, but I'd rather deal with an outfit that wants to be helpful.

Emilia wrote:Go to this thread to read about the Atlanta Meet up happening 8/21: viewtopic/t54340/Atlanta-Area-Meetup-82 ... ml#p506912

Excellent! Good timing!

Please keep any other advice and comments coming!

Thanks!