new to cpap - overwhelmed

[glindsay]

Hello,

I'm a new cpap patient and I have just completed my 1 month trial via my local sleep clinic.

Now comes the decision about buying online vs from the clinic.

First is the sticker shock from buying from the clinic vs online.

My first question is what am I getting/not getting for the more that $1000 more the clinic is charging?

Secondly is the blunt response from the clinic saying if i don't buy from them i will get no support / clinician setup/help/monitoring

Second question - how hard are these machines to setup? monitor? get treatment support?

Thirdly is the suggestion by the clinic that I may void my warranty by using the clinician menu.

Third question - is this reality or am i just being 'threatened'

All suggestions are welcome.

Cheers

[Big Guy]

I would suspect that things are a bit different in Canada than they are in the USA. I took an over-night sleep study from a local sleep lab. 

They don't sell CPAP machines or supplies. They though, did arrange for me to visit a local DME supplier. My machine cost me about $68.00 out-of-pocket. 

I get my supplies every three months from the DME supplier back in Kentucky. Medicare pays for it all 100%, even the cost of the shipping. 

I visit my machine's clinical menu quite often and make needed changes. No one has ever told me that I'm violating it's warranty. 

When I picked up my machine, I was given a short tutorial on how it works and what to do to make charges. That took a whole 10 minutes. 

In regards to you buying from your clinic, it sounds as if they are being a bit hard-nosed with you. I don't take kindly to that kind of behavior. 

This site is amazing and the people on it know what they are doing. I can't imagine that you would have any questions and/or concerns that couldn't be addressed here. I'd trust those here on this site any day over some working in a clinic who may have never been on CPAP themselves.

[PeaceLoveAndPizza]

If I knew then what I know now, I would not use the sleep group where I was referred. Yes, I would have had to pay out of pocket, but with my insurance at the time I ended up paying about twice what a machine and requisite gear costs. With the help of this forum I would not have wasted time trying to get things to help me get a better nights rest. In the end the sleep clinic was more a hinderance than a help.

I cannot speak for Canada laws, but I have never heard of a warranty being voided by accessing the clinical menu. Especially if you pay out of pocket.

It does sound like pushy sales tactics, but they may have good reasons of which we are not aware. One challenge you may have is getting a prescription to buy new, but there is a robust used market as well. My machines were all bought used, except for the first one from the clinic. My GP said he will write a prescription for anything I need, so that is an alternative path to get a script.

[staceyburke]

You really won't get much help from them.  If they are going to make a change they will have to get an OK from the Dr. (couple of days) and you get a change.  If you do it yourself you can do it in a minute.  The main thing is to get the correct machine.  ResMed S10 Autoset (cpap) or ResMed Vauto (bilevel).  Other brands may not be able for OSCAR to monitor. (OSCAR is the totally free software at the top of the site)

For sure they can't void your warranty for making changes in the clinician menu.  Now a disclaimer, I do not live in Canada.

[Phaleronic]

If I knew then what I know now, I would not use the sleep group where I was referred. Yes, I would have had to pay out of pocket, but with my insurance at the time I ended up paying about twice what a machine and requisite gear costs. With the help of this forum I would not have wasted time trying to get things to help me get a better nights rest. In the end the sleep clinic was more a hinderance than a help.

I cannot speak for Canada laws, but I have never heard of a warranty being voided by accessing the clinical menu. Especially if you pay out of pocket.

It does sound like pushy sales tactics, but they may have good reasons of which we are not aware. One challenge you may have is getting a prescription to buy new, but there is a robust used market as well. My machines were all bought used, except for the first one from the clinic. My GP said he will write a prescription for anything I need, so that is an alternative path to get a script.

I too would have gone straight to the self=titration route had I known how bad the insurance/dme/ racket really is, I figured it out after the first six months of using them (overinflated massive price hikes on machines/supplies) that get passed on to insurance and the end user.   I remediate used machines now for family and friends and myself and buy supplies on the retail market for much less than DME suppliers.  

Please listen to us and let us help you

[Deborah K.]

Yep, you can get all the help you need right on this site.  It will cost nothing and you'll get quicker responses from people who just want to help and who are not trying to sell you anything or get fees from expensive office visits.

[Narcil]

you will get better help here than at the clinic and it's easy to setup. if you are used to using a phone than this machine will be no challenge.

i don't see how using the clinician menu could void warranty, but you can find the warranty conditions here and it doesn't say anything like that.

i'd tell them thanks but no thanks you can find a better deal online. intimidation is not a good way to start anyways.

[OttSteve]

I am in Canada, and discovered the sleep centre racket by going through it.  It seems that their business model is to provide a free trial period and then get you to sign up for their ongoing "monitoring" and provision of supplies.  Their prices, as you are discovering, are two to three+ times the going rate.  I suspect that most of their business is through insurance companies, who just pass on the inflated costs to their clients through higher premiums.

What that sales person told you neglected to mention that they will charge you for monitoring after the initial trial period.  I have not heard a peep from my sleep place since the onset of Covid - either they forgot about me or decided that I wasn't going to generate enough revenue for them.  This forum can be quite helpful, certainly vastly better than the sleep consultants I was with.   OSCAR provides data that I had no idea existed.

If I was starting now, I would try to get a prescription for a machine and use the forum suggestions for set up.  Good luck.

[glindsay]

Thank you all for the great feedback.

I emailed my GP last night to get a copy of the perscription that went to sleep clinic.

It was in my inbox this morning. So guess i'm free to choose now.

Not having any extended medical insurance the full cost is on me.

My gut was telling me that these were sale tactics and immediately got defensive. (not as mind foggy as i thought).

so let the learing begin, this website has vast amounts of information to digest and help me by starting with the choice of machine.

Thanks again.

[Phaleronic]

You're welcome glindsay Please check the vendors list for site that sell discounted machines!