DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
Greetings,
I bought outright a "new" Resmed 10 Autoset from my local DME yesterday. The price wasn't quite as good as I could get online, but it wasn't too bad and I thought the local support, and the chance to try multiple masks might be helpful.
When I was introduced to the machine, it was on a table where it had been set up for me and did not have any protective packaging etc visible. I asked if this was a brand new machine, and not a rental or a refurbished machine or something.
The technician insisted it was brand new and she had unpacked it herself. She refused to show me how to get into the clinician menu because she didn't want me "messing around". So, I took it home and looked up the key sequence to get into the clinician menu, where I found that the machine had 304 hours.
I was not pleased. I called them this morning and they first asked me how I knew it had more than 300 hours. I told them I was a curious guy with a PhD in Physics who wanted to understand what he'd just spend $1000 out of pocket on!!... They looked up the serial number and agreed that the machine looked like it was at least half a year old, and did seem to have been used.
It was funny that they asked me how I knew, rather than to immediately apologize for the "mixup".
I asked them how a mistake like this was possible, and they blamed it on the tech "grabbing the wrong unit". I do not believe them. They set up the unit, zeroed the user records, and used its serial number to connect it to the cell network. It seems likely that they plenty or opportunities to determine its status. Furthermore, when I asked if the unit was new, the tech could easily have said, "yes it should be, but I can check the serial number".
They did replace the machine, but it meant another hour of driving around to deal with it.
This is not my first machine, and I am regretting not simply getting in online. I now am probably going to cancel my $60 followup appointment because I doubt I'll learn anything, and if I do I doubt I'll trust it...
grrrrrrrr
Doug
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
You won't need them anyway. Glad you got your new machine though. Any supplies you need you can access online. All the advise you need is here.
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
You are not the first to have this happen, or to hear the same excuses. Machines come back with hours and are distribute to anyone that will buy or take them. Please tell me you didn't pay $1000 for an Elite fixed CPAP. The Autoset can be had for under $600...always come to forum first.
01-31-2018, 06:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-31-2018, 06:06 PM by SarcasticDave94.
Edit Reason: typo
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RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
Unfortunately, this is an all too common experience with many that deal with a DME. Those that attempt this shenanigan would get away with it less when patients are armed with the knowledge to access the super secret code to the clinician mode. The majority of DMEs don't exactly like the patient that has more knowledge than they claim to possess. And agreed with Sleeprider, I hope that price was not for the Elite. I have an image of this DME site as it makes its workers wear plaid pants and white leather shoes to look like shady car salesmen. They cannot claim they did not know it was not used.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
If you have an Elite, try to return the machine (they owe you).
As Sleeprider says above, you can do much better for less money.
This will be your device for 5 years or so. Act quickly.
Bill
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
He said Auto Set.
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
Yes, it is the Autoset. I did quite a bit of searching around, including on here, and was finding that (when all was included) I would only be saving around $100 or so, by going online. Maybe I didn't find the best supplier, but I did do a fair amount of searching.
I'm pretty sure this person just flat out lied to my face, which I'm not really used to. I'm familiar with people omitting information, or stretching the truth "this car's a great deal!", but I was quite surprised to simply be lied to...
Sadly, going local has actually caused me hassle, rather than saving it...
Doug
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
(01-31-2018, 06:50 PM)DougM Wrote: Yes, it is the Autoset. I did quite a bit of searching around, including on here, and was finding that (when all was included) I would only be saving around $100 or so, by going online. Maybe I didn't find the best supplier, but I did do a fair amount of searching.
I'm pretty sure this person just flat out lied to my face, which I'm not really used to. I'm familiar with people omitting information, or stretching the truth "this car's a great deal!", but I was quite surprised to simply be lied to...
Sadly, going local has actually caused me hassle, rather than saving it...
Doug
Sorry for the confusion about the device. Fortunately, you caught it. We've seen a rash of similar stories here lately.
Bill
RE: DME represented machine with over 300 hours as brand new.
I was going off your profile, so you might want to update. We get a lot of stories similar to this, but usually from people getting machines under insurance or Medicare. I like supporting local business. Many work harder to earn and keep your business. It's too bad this business didn't follow that ethic. Maybe contact the owner, assuming this is not a big chain.
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