(05-14-2017, 01:22 PM)xxyzx Wrote: we are all different
our bodies change all the time
congestion from pollen or other cause requires changes in air pressure
other changes we have constantly mean that one size fits nobody
why are not auto adjusting machines the default norm?
is it strictly for cost reasons
that so many are forced to use an inferior but 'good enough' solution
instead of giving them the best sleep possible
would you be willing to pay the difference to get a machine that adjusts to your needs
instead of using a fixed one size fits nobody but is good for the insurance profit margin
You are asking a philosophical question like why is it dark at night. The answer is: because it is what it is. Yes, people are different. Yes, people deserve the best therapy available. And yes, when there is a profit motive, there will be winners and losers as DMEs exploit newbies and the clueless. Pretty much why this forum is great for users with a need to know about their options.
As the industry matured, the vendor's cost for straight CPAP machine from the manufacturer was less than the cost of a more data-capable machine or a self-adjusting machine. As machine technology improved, the major machines were about the same, but are controlled by microprocessors where their capabilities are embedded in the software. However, the pricing differential often remains BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT to monetize the machine's capabilities.
In many cases the DME vendor shortchanges the newbie user by providing a machine with lesser capabilities to improve their own profit margin. It is up to the user to demand that the physician provide a reason, a medical necessity, for a more data capable and auto-adjusting machine. A good justification would be advanced patient compliance and superior therapy delivery. If necessary, an auto-adjusting machine can be set to provide a set pressure and act as a CPAP instead of am aPAP.
It is sort of like asking why a hospital can bill an aspirin at $20 to a retail customer and claim that it is the cost of logistics, quality control, allocated overhead, and other factors that raise the cost. When the cost of that same aspirin is 30-cents when you consider the discounted reimbursement to a large insurance company. AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT.
Best of luck with getting a better night's sleep for a better tomorrow.
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius
