requested the Resmed S9 Elite, they informed me that since it has the Expiratory pressure relief (EPR™), it would be a BPAP machine and I am not eligible for that type, only CPAP.
Absolute, 100%, total, and unquestionable BS! Get your prescription from your doctor and go to another DME (ANY DME would be better!!!).
There are 3 categories of machines, for insurance purposes.
1. CPAP, which includes APAP. Pretty much all of the newer CPAP machines come with some sort of expiratory relief.
2. BiPAP/VPAP (2 different brand names for the same thing). These machines allow for separate inspiratory and expiratory pressure settings (this is different from expiratory relief, which drops the expiratory pressure but not by a lot - BiPAP allows for a larger gap).
3. ASV, which does all of the above, but can also force you to take a breath if you stop doing it on your own.
Many DMEs will jerk you around a little bit over the upgrade from CPAP to APAP, since the APAP machines are more expensive, but they are billed under the same insurance code and reimbursed the same by insurance (meaning the DME makes a smaller profit on APAPs). Although you technically don't need a specific prescription for an APAP, many DMEs will say you do (and if your doctor cooperates, it's easier to just get that prescription than to argue with the DME). But there's absolutely no reason to need any special prescription to get EPR. It's a standard feature on the new model CPAPs, which is what you should be getting.