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Do I own my CPAP or what?
#1
Do I own my CPAP or what?
I originally got my CPAP from Nightingale and they set me up with the basic items. Apparently soon after I got my CPAP they were bought out by SleepCentral and my contact information got lost. I spent a couple of years using my CPAP without any new supplies and didn't know that I needed them.

Recently SleepCentral found my name and contacted me about getting new supplies. I now get a call from them every week or two to get supplies but they are rather expensive. I used my last nose pillows for 3 years before replacing them. If things started to look nasty I just washed them and reused them. The only thing that I change regularly is the filters and I see that I can buy them on eBay or other places for less.

I have not seen any rental charges for the CPAP so I am guessing that I am fully paid up Thanks but I don't know how that all came about.

Just wondering if anyone else had this experience.

Many Klatch
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#2
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
Hi Many Klatch, Firstof all, Welcome! to the forum.! I was told by my DME that after a year, the machine became mine. I'm sure others on the forum will be able to help you.
trish6hundred
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#3
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
Yes, the machine is yours unless it was paid by Medicaid or Medicare over 6 or so yrs ago. Back then, the machine remained the property of the DME or the ins. but the good thing is that if something happened, it was replaced or repaired for free. But then ins. companies realized how much money they were putting out and that changed. My old S7, I had to give it back when I got the S9. It was never mine. Not that I wanted to keep it, and I know they simply trashed it due to it's condition.

My guess is that it is yours. If it is 5 or more yrs old and you have ins., consider getting a new one.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#4
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
Hey Many.. If SleepCentral has been contacting you about buying supplies and they arn't asking for $$$ for the CPAP, then I would assume that its all yours. Personnaly, the next time I was in communication with them, I would ask for a Certificate of Ownership, satisfaction of lien, or bill of sale to clean up any questions about ownership. Your CPAP is a fairly older model so somebody, way back, dropped the ball.

My suggestion to you is this. In order to receive the best and most healthful therapy from your CPAP useage is to replace your pillows, hose, humidifier water container, and filters on a regular regiment. The following replacement timeframes is what most insurance companies (and medicare) recommend and abide by.

Replace::::
mask----------Every (3) months
replaceable pillows-----Every (2) weeks
tubing---------Every (3) months
Non. disposable filter-(grey foam)----Every (6) months
disposable (white) filter.-----Every (2) weeks
disposable humidifier water chamber-----Ever (6) months

I would start this routine with an immediate replacement of your pillows and tubing.
Yesterday is history; Tomorrow is a mystery; Today is a gift; Thats why its called "The Present".  
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#5
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
Hey Many Klatch, welcome to the forum! I was given my machine back in 2004 and no-one ever mentioned anything about ownership or compliance or anything else. I have worked under the belief that the machine is mine since no-one has come asking after it! Smile If they really want it they can have it after tomorrow as I have a new machine on it's way, but I would like to keep it for a backup! For one thing I have supplies stock-piled for that machine!
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
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#6
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
When I got my machine about a month ago, several helpful folks at the local hospital (where I did the sleep study) tried to explain to me the complicated conniptions surrounding how the CPAP machine and accessories were paid for. The nitty-gritty details seemed to vary a lot from one insurance provider to another, but the essential story was the same. The first month / three months / six months are treated as a "rental", but it's basically "rent to own" - after some point, either you have paid the list price of the machine (from your DME) in rentals and it is now yours, or (depending on your insurance), you are billed for the remaining balance (after deducting rental payments), and THEN you own the machine. I think the "rental" period is to make sure the machine is working for you - I think if it doesn't, you can return it. But if you are still using it after 30 or 60 or 180 days, whatever the limit is, then you are pretty much committed to it, the DME doesn't want the machine back, and you own it. If you haven't paid for it already in rentals, they send you (or your insurer) a bill for the balance. Which sort of makes sense - if you need CPAP, you need it forever (usually), so you would want to keep the machine until it breaks, or until you retire it and get a new one.

I suppose the DME folks could operate on more of a real "rental" basis - give you a unit for a year at a time, let you upgrade to newer ones when they come out, etc. But for whatever reason, it sounds like none of them do. After the initial break-in period, pretty much the unit is yours, and they don't want to see it again.
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#7
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
The following information came from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services document, "Your Guide to Medicare’s Durable Medical
Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program", page 21 posted below.


Quote:What you need to know if you rent Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure (CPAP) Devices, Respiratory Assist
Devices (RADs), Hospital Beds, or Mattress and Mattress
Overlay Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces

• If your current supplier is a Medicare contract supplier, you don’t have to do anything. You will continue to get your equipment as usual, and Medicare will continue to help pay.
• If you’re renting these types of equipment from a non-contract supplier
when the program starts on January 1, 2011, you may have the choice
to stay with your current supplier if your supplier chooses to become a
“grandfathered” supplier. Your supplier will let you know in writing 30
business days before the program begins whether it will or won’t become a “grandfathered” supplier. See page 10.
• When you switch to a Medicare contract supplier from a non-contract
supplier, your current supplier and your new Medicare contract supplier
must work together and coordinate to make sure you have the equipment
you need.
Under current Medicare rules, you own these types of equipment after renting for 13 months. When you switch to a Medicare contract supplier instead of using a “grandfathered” supplier or other non-contract supplier, your 13-month rental period will start over, so you won’t own the equipment until after the new rental period ends. This will extend your
rental period and result in additional months of coinsurance. However,
the amount you pay will be lower, because the amount you will pay will be based on the new payment rates under the new program.
• Once you own the equipment, you must get replacement supplies and
accessories for the equipment from a contract supplier in order for
Medicare to help you pay for these items. You may obtain repairs for the
equipment you own from any Medicare-approved supplier (even a
non-contract supplier), including replacement parts needed for the repair.
See page 22.
• If you already own your equipment, you will need to use a Medicare
contract supplier for your replacement supplies and accessories (like masks used with the CPAP device). Therefore, you will need to change suppliers after January 1, 2011, if you’re currently receiving these items from a supplier that doesn’t become a contract supplier under the new program.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#8
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
Thanks for all the answers. Looks like this CPAP is mine then.

BTW I found that you can clean the nose pillows in the dishwasher with no ill effects. When I got my last new set of hoses, mask and nose pillows I put the old ones in the dishwasher just to see what would happen. By golly they came out clean and unharmed.

Many Klatch
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#9
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
(07-02-2012, 08:56 PM)Many Klatch Wrote: Thanks for all the answers. Looks like this CPAP is mine then.

BTW I found that you can clean the nose pillows in the dishwasher with no ill effects. When I got my last new set of hoses, mask and nose pillows I put the old ones in the dishwasher just to see what would happen. By golly they came out clean and unharmed.

Many Klatch


Washing hoses or nasal pillows in the dishwasher will not get the more important insides of them clean. It's probably better to wash them in the shower so that warm soapy water can run through them. I hang them up to dry on the end of a curtain rod afterwards.
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#10
RE: Do I own my CPAP or what?
I found a simple way to clean my hose. I hold both ends in one hand and pour in soapy water. Then I slosh the water around by lifting up one end and then the other, several times. Then I use a hose brush, and rinse it the same way with plain water. Then I hang it in the shower until the water runs out. Water splashes out but it's easy.
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