CPAP Recommendations

tombiowami · Post by **tombiowami** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:41 pm

I just had a sleep study and they recommended a CPAP, the company called me and said it would be $1000, insurance paying $500. I am not sure what questions to ask, is this too much or too little? I have not spoken to my doctor yet so it is a bit strange to me and seems a bit rushed. Any thoughts?

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:12 pm

tombiowami,

Take a look at cpap.com. Below is a link to a great machine plus a heated humidifier and including a free mask... all for $465 and free shipping. That's less than your co-pay.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/purita ... ifier.html

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:12 pm

Get the Remstar Pro2 with Cflex, it will even record events like an autopap. It is only $490 with free shipping.

With a 50% dedecutable, forget going through insurance DME they collect a lot a money and do nothing then limit what machines you can have with excuses.

Buy it on-line from cpap.com, fax over your script after ordering.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:44 pm

For $515 you can get a 420E AUTO ! Software is easy to use and inexpensive.

Look it up https://www.cpap.com/productpage/purita ... -cpap.html

Beware of the EVIL DME . If his lips move he's probably lieing !

:twis ted:

_________________

Colorado Jan · Post by **Colorado Jan** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:05 pm

If you think like I do (big IF, I realize, lol)...you may be looking at those machines that are all around $500 and thinking, the price is about the same, I probably ought to just go through my insurance since the doctor and everybody else thinks that's what I ought to do. Why buck the system?

Well, here's why you should buck the system and use that $500 bucks (plus or minus) here on this site and buy your own system. Because that's what you would get to do. Pick out and buy your own system. The machine YOU want. An up-to-date, recent model of whatever machine you choose. Cpap or Apap. C-flex, yes or no. Anyway you want it, you can get it.

Insurance companies and DME's (durable medical suppliers) are notorious for wanting to give you the absolute cheapest piece of junk they can get by with. You don't know what you are doing (that's what they assume), they are not going to TELL you about all the great machine options on the market, so they can just give you whatever and most people don't give them a hassle about it.

So much easier on your blood pressure to do your own research and order your machine from this site. Noooo, I do not work for CPAP.com...you can look around on the web for other retailers, but CPAP.com really does have some of the best prices, the best assortment of machinery and the best customer service. But whoever you buy from, with the numbers you've been given by your insurance, just blow them off and do your own thing.

Just my opinion...

Jan in Colorado

gar729 · Post by **gar729** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:32 pm

tombiowami, I can't agree more with the previous posters. Stay away from the dme if you can. The only thing they do is show how to use the machine (not rocket science), then milk you and your insurance Co. for as long as they can get away with it. There is plenty of help here to answer all your questions. At least that has been my experience. The crime in that is that most insurance policies have a yearly $$$$ limit for durable medical equipment, at least mine does. The DME charged so much for my cpap that I had very little left when my sleep Doc. changed me over to an apap. I purchased it from cpap.com at a fraction of the cost. My insurance co. was thrilled to by-pass the DME.
I have the PB 420E as well and love it. I feel MUCH better than when I was using a straight cpap. Also it's nice, ( and our right ) to be able to monitor our on treatment. I Fax my results to my sleep doc. to review. Good luck with everything and keep asking questions

Gary

Colorado Jan · Post by **Colorado Jan** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:46 pm

Oh, here's a good Idea, if I do say so myself.....

Call your insurance company, tell them you want to buy online and then submit the receipt for reimbursement. Find out if they will go for that and maybe you could buy your stuff online for cheap and get reimbursed 50%...

Good luck whatever you do...

Jan in Colo.

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:08 pm

I agree with all of the above.

But since you have insurance, be sure to check out Bill My Insurance on this site. You still may be able to use your insurance and purchase from this site.

Good luck to you, whatever you decide and keep us posted.

ProfessorSleep · Post by **ProfessorSleep** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:26 am

More agreement with the above. (But I'm partial to the 420E I have now! ) Everyone's needs and preferences vary, though, which is part of why the DME situation is such a problem. I don't think this field has gotten that message yet - this is not a "one size fits all" treatment. Different folks want different levels of information and involvement, and consequently different capabilities in their machines.

tombiowami · Post by **tombiowami** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:27 pm

Wow, thanks for all the feedback, feel like I got better response here than in all of my conversations with the medical facility.

I know virtually nothing about using a cpap/apap. Is there anything that I would need to know beyond ordering one, reading basic instructions, and going to sleep?

Is a humidifier needed, heating, bilevel, auto air flow?

Tommy

neversleeps · Post by **neversleeps** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:00 pm

tombiowami wrote:Is there anything that I would need to know beyond ordering one, reading basic instructions, and going to sleep?

Is a humidifier needed, heating, bilevel, auto air flow?

I think it would be a good idea to find out if your sleep study indicated anything besides garden-variety OSA (PLMs, oxygen desats, etc.), and any existing health issues you may have (asthma, lung disease, weak chest wall muscles, etc.). Also, it would be good to know the pressure they determined best treated your apnea during the titration portion of your PSG. All of these issues can be determinants in deciding which machine and mask to purchase.

A heated humidifier is something you should definitely get, regardless of the machine you choose. If you later determine you don't like it heated, you can turn off the heat and use it as a passover humidifier.

If you are interested in an auto-titrating machine (APAP), I have used 2 of them and would highly recommend both of them: the PB420e with heated humidifier and the REMstar Auto w/C-Flex and heated humidifier. If you are interested in seeing your nightly results, you will want to purchase the accompanying software.

An APAP can be used in either auto (a range of pressures) or straight cpap-mode (one set pressure) so it's the best of both worlds, BUT it costs more than a straight CPAP machine. In any case, ordering your machine online from https://www.cpap.com will be much less expensive than getting one from your sleep doc/DME. You will need to get a copy of the prescription from your doctor so you can send it in and order the machine of your choice. You only need a prescription for the machine itself. No prescription is needed for the heated humidifier, software, or mask.

If you choose to order online, you can click on this link: www.billmyinsurance.com and they will work with your insurance company to determine your coverage.

If you order online, you will receive the instructions with your machine. If you get a machine from your sleep doc or DME, they will remove the instructions before they give you the machine.

Setting up the machine is simple, setting the pressure is simple, attaching the humidifier is simple, and making adjustments is simple. It's definitely a win-win situation!