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Please help a newbie with a cpap Q
Hi folks, I need a little help here with the cpap machine. Apria (my least favorite vendor) brought my cpap machine to me 5 days ago, they tell me that I will be paying for this machine for 10 months then it becomes a purchase. I told them what if I do not want to purchase this machine? They tell me that this is how it works!
Can someone recommend a good machine? I really do not want to deal with Apria but the doc's office tells me that my insurance will not pay lincare.
The machine they brought out to me is a REMstar Plus C-Flex.
Thank you
Linda
Views: 962
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by candace wells on
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Linda, thanks your your help. When I call Apria, I wil ask them why they did not offer me a payment plan.
Good luck!
Linda Weigel said:Hi Candace,
Apria is giving me a payment plan for 10 months, after that I will buy it if I still need it. In the mean time, all of the folks here are so helpful they told me the best cpap to get and low and behold, Apria did not give me a newer model. I called my Dr and he was supposed to send them another script for the other machine.
Try Lincare, I hear they are pretty good or start a post here and ask which would be the best. these ppl here are really on top of it,
Do not let them push you around
Linda
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Kaiser has some plans without DME coverage. If you do not have DME coverage with Kaiser, DO NOT buy your equipment out of pocket from Apria. You can do much better price-wise from an online supplier and get exactly what you want.
Apria is of no use to you at all. For Kasier, Apria is merely the supplier. Kaiser does its own patient education, fitting, checking, etc. Apria does nothing except drop ship the equipment. If Kaiser is not paying for your equipment and supplies, they have no right to dictate what supplier you use.
Get your prescription from Kaiser and shop online for what you need and want. Make sure your machine is an auto machine (which can be run in auto or cpap mode) and that it is data capable. Top of the line machines right now are ResMed S9 auto, Philips Respironics System One Auto with A-Flex, and there are DeVilbiss and F&P Icon Auto brand new machines as well. They will cost a fraction of what Apria will try to charge you for a basic machine.
One caveat, Kaiser DME does only Philips Respironics machines so if you want help from their sleep labs, you might want a PR machine--Kaiser has the software to read those cards and knows how to work with them.
candace wells said:Linda, I read your question re: CPAP Machine and Apria. I also am not impressed with them. I have Kaiser and Kaiser will not pay for my equipment. Apria says that I have to pay all costs up front. Are you on a payment plan with Apria. I have severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and no one seems to want to be helpful. Thank you.
Candace
Linda Weigel said:Great, this is good news, now I will be able to raise an educated dialog with Apria, thank you so much, I reallly appreciate all of you taking the time to help me out
Linda
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Your email was very helpful. I have found a company that is located out of MN. They are very responsive. My concern however is that if ssomething happens to the machine, I have to ship it back there for service. Do you know of any other local companies that provide this service? Lincare does not take cash paying customers.
Janknitz said:Kaiser has some plans without DME coverage. If you do not have DME coverage with Kaiser, DO NOT buy your equipment out of pocket from Apria. You can do much better price-wise from an online supplier and get exactly what you want.
Apria is of no use to you at all. For Kasier, Apria is merely the supplier. Kaiser does its own patient education, fitting, checking, etc. Apria does nothing except drop ship the equipment. If Kaiser is not paying for your equipment and supplies, they have no right to dictate what supplier you use.
Get your prescription from Kaiser and shop online for what you need and want. Make sure your machine is an auto machine (which can be run in auto or cpap mode) and that it is data capable. Top of the line machines right now are ResMed S9 auto, Philips Respironics System One Auto with A-Flex, and there are DeVilbiss and F&P Icon Auto brand new machines as well. They will cost a fraction of what Apria will try to charge you for a basic machine.
One caveat, Kaiser DME does only Philips Respironics machines so if you want help from their sleep labs, you might want a PR machine--Kaiser has the software to read those cards and knows how to work with them.
candace wells said:Linda, I read your question re: CPAP Machine and Apria. I also am not impressed with them. I have Kaiser and Kaiser will not pay for my equipment. Apria says that I have to pay all costs up front. Are you on a payment plan with Apria. I have severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and no one seems to want to be helpful. Thank you.
Candace
Linda Weigel said:Great, this is good news, now I will be able to raise an educated dialog with Apria, thank you so much, I reallly appreciate all of you taking the time to help me out
Linda
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Candace,
Ask the online supplier what their policy is--this is another reason to shop around. Some online suppliers may be willing to overnight a replacement machine while yours is being repaired under warranty. But you need to ask. And also make sure you are buying a reliable machine.
Some people buy a second machine (new or used) to have as a backup and/or travel machine.
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Permalink Reply by Linda Weigel on
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That is a great Idea, Thanks
Janknitz said:Candace,
Ask the online supplier what their policy is--this is another reason to shop around. Some online suppliers may be willing to overnight a replacement machine while yours is being repaired under warranty. But you need to ask. And also make sure you are buying a reliable machine.
Some people buy a second machine (new or used) to have as a backup and/or travel machine.
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Are you buying the machine? If so please check ebay and amazon.com, there you will get the deals. I priced out the sleepweaver mask and on line it was 170.00 ebay has it for 87.00. Exact same thing WoW
candace wells said:Your email was very helpful. I have found a company that is located out of MN. They are very responsive. My concern however is that if ssomething happens to the machine, I have to ship it back there for service. Do you know of any other local companies that provide this service? Lincare does not take cash paying customers.
Janknitz said:Kaiser has some plans without DME coverage. If you do not have DME coverage with Kaiser, DO NOT buy your equipment out of pocket from Apria. You can do much better price-wise from an online supplier and get exactly what you want.
Apria is of no use to you at all. For Kasier, Apria is merely the supplier. Kaiser does its own patient education, fitting, checking, etc. Apria does nothing except drop ship the equipment. If Kaiser is not paying for your equipment and supplies, they have no right to dictate what supplier you use.
Get your prescription from Kaiser and shop online for what you need and want. Make sure your machine is an auto machine (which can be run in auto or cpap mode) and that it is data capable. Top of the line machines right now are ResMed S9 auto, Philips Respironics System One Auto with A-Flex, and there are DeVilbiss and F&P Icon Auto brand new machines as well. They will cost a fraction of what Apria will try to charge you for a basic machine.
One caveat, Kaiser DME does only Philips Respironics machines so if you want help from their sleep labs, you might want a PR machine--Kaiser has the software to read those cards and knows how to work with them.
candace wells said:Linda, I read your question re: CPAP Machine and Apria. I also am not impressed with them. I have Kaiser and Kaiser will not pay for my equipment. Apria says that I have to pay all costs up front. Are you on a payment plan with Apria. I have severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and no one seems to want to be helpful. Thank you.
Candace
Linda Weigel said:Great, this is good news, now I will be able to raise an educated dialog with Apria, thank you so much, I reallly appreciate all of you taking the time to help me out
Linda
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Again, thank you. I am new to this so it is like learning Greek to me. I found another local company called CPAP 1. They have follow up care with their Respiratory Therapist. The most dificult part is finding the money to pay for it.
Linda Weigel said:That is a great Idea, Thanks
Janknitz said:Candace,
Ask the online supplier what their policy is--this is another reason to shop around. Some online suppliers may be willing to overnight a replacement machine while yours is being repaired under warranty. But you need to ask. And also make sure you are buying a reliable machine.
Some people buy a second machine (new or used) to have as a backup and/or travel machine.
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Candace,
Check with the sleep lab at Kaiser. Most likely they will do your followup care and not charge even a co-payment. So why pay more than $1000 for a machine you can get online for around $450????
I have DME coverage, so I get my equipment supplied by Apria (and supply is all I get--they don't want any personal interaction with me at all!), but whenever I have an issue I call or email the Kaiser sleep lab and get right in for help.
candace wells said:Again, thank you. I am new to this so it is like learning Greek to me. I found another local company called CPAP 1. They have follow up care with their Respiratory Therapist. The most dificult part is finding the money to pay for it.
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