09-06-2012, 09:26 PM
DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Hey everyone,
So got an interesting one here - just got back from my DME, up to this point I have not had any problems with them. I am my 3-month point for my insurance, so I am eligable for a new mask. My wife has a sleepweaver mask, and we both love it - so that is what I decided to go with - and that is where the problems started - I was able to get the mask with no issues, but my DME opened up the box, and took out the headgear - because I was elegible for the headgear just the mask - OK - so I have a mask that I can't use for another 3-months because it is a special design for use just by those masks. When the mask was ordered from circadians, it was a set - the mask and headgear - but they are split-up before it gets to the consumer. I was told I could buy the headgear for $60!!, when I can get it online for $21.
The funny thing is that when my wife her sleepweaver at her 3-month point - she got that mask, and headgear with no problem
I wrote Circadians, and this is the response I got back from them:
Hi Scott -
Thank you for your email!
So sorry to hear about the trouble that you are having with the mask! We do sell our mask components separately as well as a set. Seeing as you have never had a SleepWeaver mask before, the DME should have given you both the mask and the headgear, as the mask will not work with any other headgear than that which was designed for it. I understand their reasoning with insurance, however I would hope that common sense would prevail.
Could you please let me know the DME that you are dealing with. I will contact them and try to rectify the situation. Could I also have your mailing address, in case the headgear needs to be sent directly from Circadiance.
Thank you again for contacting us and for your support of SleepWeaver!
I also wrote the insurance Co, but have not heard back from them - will give them until Monday, then I will go pay them a visit and see what they say about the whole situation.
Will let you all know how this all pans out.
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Sheesh! You'd think...aw never mind...common sense is in short supply nowadays! I'd just let the INS folks handle it and save my blood pressure. If they are going to mail it to you themselves if the DME wants to be difficult, let em!
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.
PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Hi w7sot, I'm sure sorry you are having problems all of a sudden with your DME, I sure hope you are able to get the situation with the headgear to your new mask straightened out, it's kind of hard to use a mask without the headgear that goes with it, bummer.
trish6hundred
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Splitting up a mask and billing for separate parts is very common, and is even encouraged by the insurance companies sometimes.
Just part of our screwed up medical system.
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If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
yup - well, I am sure thing will get figure out once the supplier tells the DME and then it goes on to the Insurance Co, that it is a totally different headgear for this specific mask - just have to give it some time at this point and wait.
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Does the sleepweaver also come in a ff mask? When you sleep on your side, does the seal break?
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
(09-09-2012, 06:18 PM)Roxy Wrote: Does the sleepweaver also come in a ff mask?
Nasal mask only
RE: DME Splitting up sleepweaver mask
Circadience now makes several masks including the Anew full face mask.
I have used the Elan for about a year and once you get used to it it maintains the seal better than hard shell masks when sleeping on you side. I normally sleep with mask buried in my pillow, but I adjust the tension on the head gear as I lay my head on the pillow. A slight turn right or left as I hit the pillow does the trick.
With the Elan I frequently had AHI below 1. Last night with the Anew it was 2.8. I expect it to get better as I learn to fine tune this mask. It is far better than any other FFM I have tried.