Supplies

[Waldorbigbill]

Question my insurance only cover a small part of my supplies. I normally spend less paying out of pocket for my mask and headbands. I’m looking for a place that doesn't put huge markups on all the supplies. I have found ordering from Amazon or Ebay to be a hit or a miss. If i can’t ask this question please remove it.

[Sleepster]

Check our Supplier List

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...plier-List

[Waldorbigbill]

I already look at your suppliers list and noticed most marked up things very high. Thats why i was asking from people personal experince.

[Melman]

If your not already aware, you can save a lot by not following the recommended replacement schedules. They are more to maximize profits for suppliers than to benefit users. For example, it is generally recommend that masks be replaced every 3 months and cushions monthly. That is generally not necessary. I have been using my original F20 full face mask for over two yeard with no issues. All masks may not hold up as well. When I used the quatro FX the cushions started leaking after 3-4 months. I've been using the same hose for over a year and the same humidifier for about a year. (I dropped the first one and it cracked or I woil probably still be using it.) I keep a spare of everything on hand in case of a failure but my savings are considerable compared to what I would spend by following the recommended schedule. So even if you can't get the best prices you can save a lot by caring for the equipment and getting the maximum use from it.

[SarcasticDave94]

On the same lines as what Melman was mentioning, if you replace only as needed it'll save you money. A probable savvy way would be to get at least 1 of each part in your personal stock, then only replace the used part as needed.

Since I can only get supplies via insurance, I can't speak from experience at this time anyway.

[bluesboybob]

Before I went on Medicare this year I self-paid for 10 years so the cost was a big issue for me. I agree with the previous posts that the life of supplies can generally be extended well beyond the recommended schedule. The only component I tried to replace according to the schedule was the hose. Since it was impossible to tell what might be growing inside, and since I used a cheap standard (non-heated) hose it was not a big deal to get a fresh one every few months. I would monitor the internet suppliers to see if they had stuff on sale (Supplier #1 frequently has significant markdowns) and when they had a good sale I would stockpile my supplies. I also noticed a big price difference on masks, so I tried the cheaper masks until I found one I liked. Since Supplier #1 has a free return policy on masks I was able to experiment at no cost until I settled on a good mask that was under $50. I don't think there is a legit supplier who is significantly cheaper than the others, but if you manage your usage and look for deals you can do OK. 
But now that I'm on Medicare it's only the best for me! 

[OpalRose]

I’ve always tried to keep a backup supply of everything. And I try to stretch the use of supplies as long as possible, but not to the point that my mask would leak.

I take advantage of the insurance replacement schedule for the heated hose, humidifier chamber, filters, etc.

I don’t think anyone of us can point you in a direction where supplies are not marked up. Your DME is probably the worse place for supplies unless you have no copay.

You can, however find good deals on eBay, Amazon and others, but it’s a matter of regularly checking the sites to see what is offered. With that said, don’t write off the Supplier list above. Some do run sales off and on, and you can get discount codes.