Broken cpap machine AGAIN - what to do

[roym]

I have resmed S9 purchased 3 years ago. The electric power supply got broken (the pin broke) so i couldn't use it for a while. DME said $400! Some kind person on the board fixed it for me and I was very happy that I could go back to using it.

However, before using it I took it to a sleep clinic and they said the machine is broken - its not putting out the correct pressure. If you set it to 16 it only send out 12. DME said its out of warranty so it'll cost me to get it repaired.

I talked with my insurance company - they will replace it. However I have one of those high deductible plans so all the money will come out of my pocket. I am thinking of getting a used one from one of the vendors recommended on the board - is this the correct way to look at it? I was thinking of getting the autoPAP one - more expensive but i don't want to have any self-excuse of why i didn't do cpap.

[trish6hundred]

Hi roym,
Sorry to hear about the problems you have had with your machine.
You might take a look at Supplier #2 here on the board; they have great deals on either open-boxed or gently used machines.
Good luck to you and hang in there for more suggestions.

[retired_guy]

Roym, just for drill... Do you have another medical supplier in your area you could take your machine to for evaluation? A second opinion never hurts. Not sayin' your DME would do anything untoward, .... yeah, on the other hand, I'm just sayin'.

[Peter_C]

Good points above.
I have no insurance myself at this time. I am also on a fixed income. My CPAP is my life, as I had/have heart issues caused by OSA. If my machine died today (knock wood), I would do two things (assuming that I didn't already have a backup machine or 2);

I would buy a *NEW* machine, the best, latest, greatest one on the market that I could afford. (Normal life is around eight years or longer if cared for)
I would scour craigslist, etc and buy a used machine to keep as a backup.
I would contact everyone in my social network to see if anyone had a machine they no longer need or want and gloom onto it.

I expect to be on CPAP the rest of my life, so my decisions are based on that thinking.

FYI? Even though I am on a bi-level, and my old machine is a simple basic 'brick' CPAP, I have kept it. I've also gloomed onto my Mother in-law's S9 after she passed, and I will keep it - see the pattern here?

[Bama Rambler]

I talked with my insurance company - they will replace it. However I have one of those high deductible plans so all the money will come out of my pocket. I am thinking of getting a used one from one of the vendors recommended on the board - is this the correct way to look at it? I was thinking of getting the autoPAP one - more expensive but i don't want to have any self-excuse of why i didn't do cpap.

There are two ways of looking at this.
1) You could file it with the Insurance and pay the deductible and let this go toward that.
2) You could just pay out of pocket for a used machine and may have to pay the deductible later on.

The question I would ask, is what it the likelihood of me needing enough medical in the future to offset the deductible. If there is a likelihood, what is the difference between the deductible I would have to pay for a new machine and the cost of a used machine.

[mjbearit]

Roym, I'm so sorry to hear of your problems with this. I had a go round with my machine a few years back and I went to Supplier #2 and got a fantastic auto machine for just a few hundred dollars. Granted it was used, but after talking with this guy I felt comfortable buying used from him. I have not regretted is for a second! In fact, any time I can throw him some of my business I will! I want him to stay in business for when I need a new machine down the line! If you are nervous about buying used, he also has "Open box" units. These units are NOT used, but because they have been opened, they cannot be sold as new. When I was toying with the idea of a new machine recently, I found one I would like to have and the price difference between used and open box was $60 and open box comes with a 2 year mfg warranty! You will probably pay less than your deductible by going this way. Good luck!
Mike

[archangle]

You might watch your local Craigslist for people selling their CPAP machines. However, you'll probably have to do your own "DME" functions on it. Around my home town, it often takes a few months to find a good deal on a good machine.

It's a good idea to keep an eye out for a spare machine, even if yours is still working OK. Sometimes you get a good deal or even can get a much better machine that way.

[Peter_C]

Vendor #1 on our list has a NEW REMstar DS150 on sale right now for $228 bucks! True, it's a basic CPAP without a lot of frills, but for a backup, or if funds are tight, it's new, current state of art, under warranty with limited data reporting and ramp.

[justMongo]

Supplier #2 has some good "open box" specials. These are new zero hour machines.
The price is very good. They were willing to accept my 4 year old Rx.

[Peter_C]

Very, very sweet