Is there a good website to find prices on the machines and masks? My insurance will pay upto a set amount. I was trying to do as much research as possible before my appointment with the specialist. I checked out the links to the buyers guide, but not all of the equiptment has prices.

Thanks in advance,
Eric

wlfpkrcn wrote:

Is there a good website to find prices on the machines and masks? My insurance will pay upto a set amount. I was trying to do as much research as possible before my appointment with the specialist. I checked out the links to the buyers guide, but not all of the equiptment has prices.
 
Thanks in advance,
Eric

 
Well one of the better ways to shop (by price only) is to use Froogle by Google (tongue twister there!)  Link Here  Just put in the brand and the model and it will find it for you.
 
Of course this will only give you the online resources, you will need to let your fingers do the walking for your local providers.
 
Remember the sweet taste of low price is soon forgotten but the bitter taste of poor service lasts and lasts and lasts.
 
So my suggestion is to find a good price from a good dealer.
  
 
Regards,

Thanks!! I'm not trying to buy online. I'm just doing research for when the time comes, I can talk to the specialist about options that will be covered by insurance. I will also be armed with some knowledge about the different masks and machines. It has taken 4 years of on and off headaches, with them more often than not to get to this point. I don't want to end up with cheap equipment or something that could be easily upgraded.

Thanks again,
Eric

wlfpkrcn wrote:

Thanks!! I'm not trying to buy online. I'm just doing research for when the time comes, I can talk to the specialist about options that will be covered by insurance. I will also be armed with some knowledge about the different masks and machines. It has taken 4 years of on and off headaches, with them more often than not to get to this point. I don't want to end up with cheap equipment or something that could be easily upgraded.

Thanks again,
Eric

Eric,

It's smart of you to be researching so that you can be armed with knowledge about the different masks and machines.  For some of us the process doesn't allow us the opportunity to do so, or we're so new to it all and overwhelmed that we learn too late, initially, about all the options.  You are smart to be fore-armed.  In anything, that is the best approach.  Good luck to you.  Let us know about your experience.  We can all learn from it.

Linda

There are reasons for purchasing online as well as reasons for purchasing from your local provider.  The one thing that you need to remember is that you as a consumer have a choice.  From online providers you can get good pricing and great phone support, from local providers you can get hands on fitting and in person support, but usually at a higher price.  (I don't mean to say one is better than the other, just that you can get different types of support from each)  

I suggest talking to each of the providers and making sure that they will offer the level of support that you feel comfortable with.  

Let us know how it works out for you!


Regards,

wlfpkrcn wrote:

After checking out cpap.com I shouldn't have a problem being below the insurance maximum. That is as long as I need a basic CPAP machine. Even if the local prices are higher I should be ok. Thanks again for the links.

Eric

Eric,

There is usually a price difference between online and storefront.  I would call around and check pricing.  I purchased online, but in retrospect, I would have liked the option of trying on different masks.  I went thru 3 before finding one and purchasing online doesn't afford you an option of try before you buy.  (some storefronts don't either, but some do, that is why it does pay to shop around)  

Once you know what you need, it can be very convenient to purchase over the net.  Some folks still feel more comfortable dealing with someone local, so decide where your comfort level is and go for it.  

Keep us posted on your progress!

Regards,

MikeSus wrote:

Quote:

I purchased online, but in retrospect, I would have liked the option of trying on different masks. I went thru 3 before finding one and purchasing online doesn't afford you an option of try before you buy.

Just feel I need to mention that going through a local dme doesn't always mean you get to try anything.  I got 1 machine choice and 1 mask choice, no trying, just here you are, here is how you use it, call me in two weeks.   after that I bought 2 online.  There are some good DME's out there, but they are all working through the insurance maze, I think if a mask is out of the packaging they are stuck with it.  I don't totally blame them, It just means I had to find my own right mask without their help.

My insurance provider is Blues Cross. My policy will pay 80% of costs up to a maximum provided I use their in system D.M.E. s. If I go out of their system(like the internet) that goes down to 60%. So its wise to do the math. But unless you need the local service, it usually pays to go online. The Remstar Auto with c-flex I bought online cost 3x more locally. But I'm kinda a veteran so I knew what I needed.

Absolutely pays to do the math.  I myself purchased online was reimbursed 80%.  I have heard folks that have not been able to get reimbursed because they didn't jump thru the right hoops.  The best I can offer is this, if you do decide to go it on your own,  call your insurance company make sure that they will cover if you purchase from the net, and get names.  


Regards

Beware of buying from the physician that prescribed the cpap! I can't believe it is even allowed because of obvious conflicts of interest...but here's what I went through.  My doctor (Brett Troyer, Boise ID) said it would be simple and easy to just go through his office to get the equipment. So I figured ok...but then when the time came I found out that he wanted 20% up front to get the cpap. So I started doing some price checking with local medical supply houses and found out that the doctor's pricing was $800.00 to $1000.00 more than anyone!! So I called the doctor and told him to send the report and Rx to a local supplier and I would get the equipment from them (My BlueCross insurance covered everything with this supplier - no upfront money). Well guess what..after repeated attempts to get the Rx and report faxed to the supplier (repeated phone calls and three weeks) I was forced to go into the doctor's office and demand the Rx...the doctor hid from me while the receptionist went and had him write out the Rx and give me the report. Needless to say he is no longer my doctor and I filed complaints about him with my insurance company and the state medical board for knowingly withholding my treatment.

All that to say..get your phone book, look up 'medical supply' and do the price checking.

Paul - who learned a good lesson  


_________________
P.W. Pyle
Sleeping again in Idaho

My local "in network" DME charged me 7 times more than the prices on cpap.com.  They broke each part of the cpap and mask down and charged accordingly.  The Resmed Activa Nasal Mask is $94 on cpap.com.  My local DME charged me $180 for the nasal mask and $60 for the "head gear".  ResMed reports that they don't sell the original package with carrying case in separate parts.  I call that a real sad state of affairs!  No wonder the cost of health care insurance has sky-rocketed.  At any rate, the cpap was $2400, the 6ft hose was $60, the heated humidifier was $500 and two air filters were $11 (on cpap.com the total package with heated humidifier was close to $490).  Trust me, the only advantage to my local DME is their "72 hr mask return policy".  If in 72hrs you decide you don't like the mask, you can return it for another.  So many newly diagnosed OSA patients just don't know until they try to "make friends" with a mask over a period of weeks!  And most importantly, my DME treats people like they are buying a used car, not like a PATIENT who is struggling with a newly diagnosed illness.

Just my hostile 2 cents...thanks everyone...needed to get that off my chest.  I'll buy at cpap.com and be reimbursed by my insurance 60% and still save money.


_________________
Joe Camel

OSA Feb '04
S-7 EliteCPAP Feb '04
AutoSet Spirit July '04
VPAPIII August '05 (CHF & MCTD)
Heated Humification
Mirage Activa Nasal Mask(previous Mirage Ultra Nasal Mask, Breese Nasal Pillows, Breese Nasal Mask)