As others have already told you, no, this is NOT true. I went through the same scenario a year ago when I started CPAP and I had the same machine that you do. After coming to this forum (amusingly enough, because it was listed in some of the literature the DME gave me) and got an education, I asked for a data-capable machine and was told there was no such animal, that what I wanted was only available on "ventilators used in hospitals." Yes, really.kentoboo wrote:I just talked to my DME, looking for a machine that has data on it, besides just time of use. They told me there is no CPAP machine available with that, you have to go to BPAP. You can only do this thru your doctor. Is this true?
You may well need to change to a new DME, but I am as doubtful as someone else who replied to this thread with the questions "Are there any good ones?" My husband and I had a talk with my DME and approached the situation from a business point of view, reminding them that they ARE in fact a business and should be aware of their stated goal to SERVE their customers, not thwart them at every turn. I have to give my DH the credit for that remarkable conversation, one in which he managed to sound very friendly yet vaguely threatening at the same time. Now I have the machine I wanted and the services I receive are on MY terms. I get what I want and WHEN I want it, nothing more, nothing less. And my machine was switched out at no extra cost to us.
So it can be done and amusingly enough, they now compliment me on being such a "knowledgeable patient." You can get what you want and do not forget that. Coming here was the smartest thing you could do.