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Proper Disposal of CPAP Machine
What is the proper way to dispose of a CPAP machine? Doesn't seem like it's the kind of thing you just throw in the garbage when you're ready to move on.
Views: 5098
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daniel on
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Donate it to a charitble organization. You can get a tax write-off and you will be helping out someone else in need who would not be able to afford a CPAP otherwise. Here in the SF Bay Area, there's an organization call Home Cares, which recycles medical equipment and supplies. Your church, synagogue or mosque may accept charitable donations of this type. There are also groups that periodically pick up supplies. I recently donated about 30 used CPAP masks to an organization that sent them along with other medical supplies, to Zimbabwe.
Your DME may accept an old device, but you won't get a tax credit. When I receive CPAPs in this way, I give them away to people who don't have insurance. Unfortunately, I've heard of some DME's who clean them up and resell them for a profit for themselves.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Check w/your local Visiting Nurse Association. Our local VNA has teamed up w/our local hospital's sleep lab staff to sponsor an apnea support group and VNA is in an excellent position to know who might need a CPAP or supplies but can't afford one.
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Permalink Reply by BPLink on
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Daniel Levy said:Donate it to a charitble organization. You can get a tax write-off and you will be helping out someone else in need who would not be able to afford a CPAP otherwise. Here in the SF Bay Area, there's an organization call Home Cares, which recycles medical equipment and supplies. Your church, synagogue or mosque may accept charitable donations of this type. There are also groups that periodically pick up supplies. I recently donated about 30 used CPAP masks to an organization that sent them along with other medical supplies, to Zimbabwe.
Your DME may accept an old device, but you won't get a tax credit. When I receive CPAPs in this way, I give them away to people who don't have insurance. Unfortunately, I've heard of some DME's who clean them up and resell them for a profit for themselves.
Is that true or just a rumor?
Some DMEs (like mine) are downright low and I wouldn't put anything past them but if this allegation can be proven, why aren't those slime DMEs exposed and turned in to investigators?
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I would guess that quite a few of the smaller local DME suppliers do give a few of these used xPAPs to the uninsured and needy. I doubt that many, if any, of the larger outfits do just because "control" and policy is determined higher up the totem pole than the local office. It only makes sense that some of those xPAPs used and then returned because of compliance issues are kept on the shelves as loaners and temporary rentals. And it also makes sense that if they didn't have the model specifically scripted on hand and had to order it in that they might provide a used one until the brand and model scripted came in.
I do know there is at least one business in Michigan that refurbishes used devices and resells them but I'm not sure of just exactly who they sell them too and how they are represented when sold. This business is no secret so I assume it is all on the up and up and legal. When I was looking for a good used bi-level to buy as a backup to my VPAP Auto I was referred to them. They didn't have the brand and model I wanted so I never did do business w/them but I have confidence in the local DME supplier who referred me to them that they would not have openly sent me to an unscrupulous dealer.
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