Change Therapist?
When my uncle passed away, my aunt told me that if I got tested and needed a machine, she would give me my uncles. It was only used for 8 months. I got tested, needed it, and proceeded with the machine.
When I had my appointment to set up the machine, the therapist didn't know how to do it (have the Philips Resironics A20 BiPAP) and I had to come back that afternoon after she learned how to set it up on her lunch break. She was pushing for me to get a new machine, new face mask, new hoses, etc., and she told me that it's the way they get their money to cover their costs. I'm in Canada and medicare doesn't cover this. She stopped about the new equipment once she realized that the machine is practically new with 2 years left on it's warranty. Her area manager said to waive the $80 set-up fee and to waive the $45 new hose fee as I had a new hose still sealed in it's bag, but that I had to buy the mask at a cost of $345. I inquired about just the face cup, because I have my uncles harness for a ResMed F20, but she told me that the manufacturer only sells full kits, and that there is no way to get just a face cup. (I have since bought a face cup for $38) After all this, she did set it up, and I went home to use it for about a week before my next appointment.
My prescription (according to the doctor I seen) was 19, but he told me he wanted me to start out at 14 and work my way up to 19. According to the therapist, my prescription was for 14, and if needed I could go as high as 19. I had asked to just be bumped up to 19 as I was having no breathing problems at 14 and adjusted to that pressure easily. I was told that she could not change the pressure without first analyzing the data from my machine. She then takes the card out to her area manager who was in her office that day to get the data. After a few minutes, she says that there is no data on the card, and that maybe the card was bad. So she tries to download onto a new card, and she claims the same result. Then they called technical support at Philips, who said that my machine was bad since it wasn't writing on the card, and that they would send a new machine under warranty. I'm to switch mine for the new one when it arrives this week. Now, they must have called Philips because they found out which company my machine was under when my uncle got it when they ran the serial number. Since then I've been using their loan-out machine so that she can get the data for my next appointment.
Out of pure curiosity, I downloaded the EncorePro software onto my laptop, set myself up as a client and popped in the card. It downloaded the info and I can get the data and charts. Now I'm livid mad at these guys because how does a technician and their supervisor not be able to get data, when I can just download a program and get it myself at home. I'm thinking that they want me to get a machine under their name so that maybe I'm somehow tied to them for ongoing treatment monitoring. After this, I really don't trust them. I'm worried that they will send my unit off, and then I'll be stuck with a new unit that cannot be returned since it's been used, and then I'm on the hook for the cost of that unit if Philips rejects the warranty claim. Of course, my insurance would cover the cost of a machine, but not the cost of THAT machine. Here they charge about $2000 for a regular CPAP, but the one I have from my uncle is $6000, so I'd be on the hook for the $4000 difference. Of course, it would be their mistake, but then I'm sitting with their machine now and don't have my own, so they would have all the leverage. Maybe my mind is taking it a bit far, but I'm planning on going to my appointment on Tuesday and just handing her a printout of my machine's data, and asking her how I am able to get my data when they cannot.
Should I just be telling them off and get a copy of my prescription and go to another therapist? I'm thinking about the one my uncle had.
EDIT: Just tried Encore Basic and it will download my info, although it just hangs when trying to do a report. I attached the summary report from EncorePro, so it this the info I should be getting? I know the detail is a 16 page report, and the trend is a 6-page report, but both are above the attachment limit. Thanks
When I had my appointment to set up the machine, the therapist didn't know how to do it (have the Philips Resironics A20 BiPAP) and I had to come back that afternoon after she learned how to set it up on her lunch break. She was pushing for me to get a new machine, new face mask, new hoses, etc., and she told me that it's the way they get their money to cover their costs. I'm in Canada and medicare doesn't cover this. She stopped about the new equipment once she realized that the machine is practically new with 2 years left on it's warranty. Her area manager said to waive the $80 set-up fee and to waive the $45 new hose fee as I had a new hose still sealed in it's bag, but that I had to buy the mask at a cost of $345. I inquired about just the face cup, because I have my uncles harness for a ResMed F20, but she told me that the manufacturer only sells full kits, and that there is no way to get just a face cup. (I have since bought a face cup for $38) After all this, she did set it up, and I went home to use it for about a week before my next appointment.
My prescription (according to the doctor I seen) was 19, but he told me he wanted me to start out at 14 and work my way up to 19. According to the therapist, my prescription was for 14, and if needed I could go as high as 19. I had asked to just be bumped up to 19 as I was having no breathing problems at 14 and adjusted to that pressure easily. I was told that she could not change the pressure without first analyzing the data from my machine. She then takes the card out to her area manager who was in her office that day to get the data. After a few minutes, she says that there is no data on the card, and that maybe the card was bad. So she tries to download onto a new card, and she claims the same result. Then they called technical support at Philips, who said that my machine was bad since it wasn't writing on the card, and that they would send a new machine under warranty. I'm to switch mine for the new one when it arrives this week. Now, they must have called Philips because they found out which company my machine was under when my uncle got it when they ran the serial number. Since then I've been using their loan-out machine so that she can get the data for my next appointment.
Out of pure curiosity, I downloaded the EncorePro software onto my laptop, set myself up as a client and popped in the card. It downloaded the info and I can get the data and charts. Now I'm livid mad at these guys because how does a technician and their supervisor not be able to get data, when I can just download a program and get it myself at home. I'm thinking that they want me to get a machine under their name so that maybe I'm somehow tied to them for ongoing treatment monitoring. After this, I really don't trust them. I'm worried that they will send my unit off, and then I'll be stuck with a new unit that cannot be returned since it's been used, and then I'm on the hook for the cost of that unit if Philips rejects the warranty claim. Of course, my insurance would cover the cost of a machine, but not the cost of THAT machine. Here they charge about $2000 for a regular CPAP, but the one I have from my uncle is $6000, so I'd be on the hook for the $4000 difference. Of course, it would be their mistake, but then I'm sitting with their machine now and don't have my own, so they would have all the leverage. Maybe my mind is taking it a bit far, but I'm planning on going to my appointment on Tuesday and just handing her a printout of my machine's data, and asking her how I am able to get my data when they cannot.
Should I just be telling them off and get a copy of my prescription and go to another therapist? I'm thinking about the one my uncle had.
EDIT: Just tried Encore Basic and it will download my info, although it just hangs when trying to do a report. I attached the summary report from EncorePro, so it this the info I should be getting? I know the detail is a 16 page report, and the trend is a 6-page report, but both are above the attachment limit. Thanks
