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Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
#1
Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
We recently got a CPAP machine for my husband. The home care lady who went over the CPAP with us told us that it had a built in modem and sent back info to the store. She also said she had the capabilities to change the prescription among other options from her location over 50 miles away. Would it be possible for her to render the machine inoperable if she chose to do to so? Can she render the machine inoperable on our end for any reason? If so, is there a way to override this?
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#2
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
The new machines, like the dreamstation, have a cellular modem. They can monitor compliance or change settings.
I suppose she could render it useless though its settings; but why would she? She is supposed to follow a prescription from a doctor to change a setting. The machine should have an "Airplane" mode that shuts off the cellular signal.
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#3
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Mediciaid is doing a 1 year trial with my husband. When my husband was working, and had insurance he couldn't even afford to use the insurance but still had to pay for it or be fined at the end of the year when we filed taxes. He was laid off in April 2016, and still has no job. His former employer has promised to rehire him at the start of of 2017. We are so badly in debt that it will take years to pay off what we have had to use in credit cards and loans just to survive plus the interest. When he does get his job back he will lose Medicaid and be forced to pay for the machine outright. We asked about doing payments and the lady said no. We actually explained to her all of this I'm explaining here, ands asked what options she could offer us with the machine. Buying it outright was the only option she offered. My husband has expressed to me that he isn't bringing the machine back :/ so now I'm wondering if he didn't bring it back once he gets his job will they turn it off from the home store and render it inoperable once Medicaid stops covering it.
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#4
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
LPN, I don't know what your supplier has quoted you for purchase of that machine, but be assured, you can buy it on Amazon from $415 to $475 with the humidifier and heated hose. Prices fluctuate daily. The point is, don't feel trapped into paying a ridiculous price for that used CPAP machine. After a year of rent, you should own it. If not, walk away and get a better deal.
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#5
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Call Medicaid (you should have a support number) and ask them to specify whether you are able to keep the machine later on if your husband is re-employed or if it goes back to the supplier. That is the FIRST thing you need to know. A lot of medical equipment has to be returned when you are no longer eligible, go into nursing home or pass away. We had to return my brother's wheelchair and walker to Medicaid after he passed earlier this month, but not supplies. He only had them since March, so time period WAS less than a year.

If you own the machine, then it's a non-problem. In all states, the supplier cannot make changes to your machine without a doctor authorization. As a prescription item, if they made changes, they could be in serious legal problems with the state. In addition, if you request and download the clinicians' manual from here, you can make changes yourself in future. You might want to do that anyway just for your comfort - knowing that you can make your own settings may alleviate some of your anxiety.
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#6
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Hi LPN2012,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to your husband with his CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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#7
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Welcome

As Mosquitobait mentioned, no they cannot on their own accord change your settings because they have no idea if your prescription has changed. If they replace your machine, they are required to set it according to the prescription they have on file but there is nothing that says it is illegal to change it to whatever you want it to be.
Using FlashAir W-03 SD card in machine. You can download your data through wifi with FlashPAP or Sleep Master utilities.

I wanted to learn Binary so I enrolled in Binary 101. I seemed to have missed the first four courses. Big Grinnie

Stick it to the man, Download OSCAR and take back control of your data!

Thanks Ian. Like I didn't have enough Honey-Do projects to tackle. Mornincoffee
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#8
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Thank you so much.
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#9
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
If you can download and install Sleephead software it will tell you what the settings are on your machine. It will also tell you of any changes made to the settings, by you or anyone else.

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#10
RE: Can home care provider make our machine unusable?
Sleepyhead for sure. Monitor your own progress. That's better than you'll get from a dme.

Is your machine auto or fixed cpap? You list it as "Philips respironic dreamstation" so probably cpap. If you buy one get an auto unit. I found it better therapy than cpap.
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