Supplier Keeping (And Selling?) Extra Nasal Pillows

[LFJ219]

Hello guys:

I'm new to board but I have been undergoing successful CPAP therapy for nearly five years. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones as I've never had a problem and it worked for me from the first day.

I have the ResMed S9 and now use the new P10 pillow mask. Before that I used the swift LT. I use the Medium size pillows and can use Large in a pinch. The problem I have is that when my supplier sells me a new mask he asks what size pillow I use and when I tell him he promptly removes the other two. I assume he sells them. Should he be doing this?

Also when I buy a filter he always gives me a crappy generic. I would much prefer to use OEM but he says he can't get them. I'm getting a little tired of this. What do you say?

[trish6hundred]

Hi LFJ219,
WELCOME! to the forum.! It's great to hear that you are having such good success with CPAP therapy.
I have heard of DMEs taking the extra pillows out of the mask kit, but you are supposed to get at least three (3) different sizes of pillows and they should be able to get the name brand filters if that's what you want, sounds like a change in DME is in order if you can swing it..
Hang in there for more answers to your questions and best of luck to you.

[Marnid2014]

They take mine as well, last time I made the guy leave all of them.

[retired_guy]

Hello guys:

I'm new to board but I have been undergoing successful CPAP therapy for nearly five years. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones as I've never had a problem and it worked for me from the first day.

I have the ResMed S9 and now use the new P10 pillow mask. Before that I used the swift LT. I use the Medium size pillows and can use Large in a pinch. The problem I have is that when my supplier sells me a new mask he asks what size pillow I use and when I tell him he promptly removes the other two. I assume he sells them. Should he be doing this?

Also when I buy a filter he always gives me a crappy generic. I would much prefer to use OEM but he says he can't get them. I'm getting a little tired of this. What do you say?

Apparently this is a favorite thing of the DME's. In the future I'd suggest you order your masks from one of the online suppliers. We have quite a list of them for you in this forum. Or if you order from these guys again, specify you want the mask new and untampered with just as it came from Resmed.

[LFJ219]

Thank you all for your input. There is a ton of good information here. I can't believe I haven't come across you before. I have never had many problems with my equipment or therapy so I haven't had a need to search the internet much for info.

[lafsa]

i wonder what the insurance company would say about that practice..hmm

[justMongo]

Yeah, I complained about the cheapo no-name filters they were giving me.
Same old excuse. So, I considered my options:
1) beat them senseless.
2) Buy name brand from an online supplier.

They lucked out -- I chose option 2.

[PaytonA]

Frankly, I think the beatings (verbal, written, and legal) may be necessary to reform the bad actors in this area. They are making too much money the way things are. I think some of us could help this situation by reporting some of the unethical and possible illegal things that are being done to the people that are supposed to be benefiting from this service.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[ImaSurvivor]

When I got my Swift FX the first time I had three different sized pillows in the package with the headgear. I still have the sizes I don't need. Since then, when I go to get new pillows, they go in their store room and just bring out packaged pillows to me. I thought perhaps they came packaged separately as well as packaged with the full mask headgear when you need the complete set. Will be interesting to see what happens when I get a new mask next month. Doesn't seem like they should be able to open the mask's packaging to remove other sizes ...we (or our insurance) are essentially paying for them.

[Sleepster]

If you have insurance, report the missing pillows to the insurance company.

Not all DME's are the same. Some will provide only specific pieces of equipment, claiming that if you want something else you'll have to pay extra. Switch to a different DME. Call doctors in your area who are certified in sleep medicine and ask them which DME they recommend to their patients.

If you know what you want, and you can get it cheaper online, then go that route.