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+--- Thread: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? (/Thread-Supply-prices-Is-there-price-fixing)
Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - sansnap - 12-23-2022
I've noticed that the price for pillows for my mask have doubled in the past 2 years, a 100 percent price increase. Where I was paying $10 for a ResMed AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow I now pay $20 or more. This price increase seems high and interestingly seems to be at every supplier. Recent orders don't even come in the sealed/branded manufacture packaging.
What the heck is going on here?
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - RayBee - 12-23-2022
I noticed that too as of late. last time I bought a (real) Resmed F30 medium mask it was $14.50 on Amazon, now it is $48.50. And that is actually down. A few weeks ago it was $54 (retail I believe). I don't need one since I have a spare. But it sure would be nice to pick up another one at a good price. I'm 100% out of pocket. Ouch.
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - Sleeprider - 12-24-2022
Silicone has been in short supply since 2017, and the supply chain shortages got worse when COVID hit in 2019 and 2020. New facilities to manufacture medica, industriall and construction silicones is under construction and may come on-line in the next year. This has been a persistent problem for several years and is more related to raw materials than any collusion among CPAP manufacturers. The silicon supply shortage is well documented online, and combines with chip shortages and other supply-side problems to have increased CPAP and masks costs. Hopefully, we will see the shortages caused by the Philips recalls and the silicone shortage clear up, but it looks like a much longer-term problem than I had originally thought.
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - Lucid - 12-24-2022
Now is a great time to check for holiday sales -- for example, Supplier 38 has a code for 30 percent off and free shipping on all orders. Supplier 29 has sales, too, and probably other sites.
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - daves677 - 12-24-2022
I have issues/questions about the DME suppliers. I was with a local firm in Virginia who was bought out by another company. I continued with them but have issues with their billing practices. I am under Medicare with Tricare for Life so my resupplies are at no out of pocket costs for me. My recent resupply was for a F30i mask and headgear. They charged Medicare abt $670 for it, Medicare approved charge was $93 and the DME supplier's online cost was $149.y get some end of year reimbursement or kickback of their charges?
Do you all use online DME providers or Amazon or what?
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - nelamvr6 - 12-24-2022
Of course once the supply chain issues are resolved the prices of the masks will come down, right? Right?
RE: Supply prices - Is there price fixing? - Sleeprider - 12-25-2022
(12-24-2022, 07:20 PM)nelamvr6 Wrote: Of course once the supply chain issues are resolved the prices of the masks will come down, right? Right?
Your sarcasm is well-earned by the medical suppliers. Prices are very sticky because once the higher prices are accepted by insurance, and become "usual and customary" they really don't come back down like they might in a free market. It was only a few years ago we could buy Resmed Airsense 10 Autosets for well under $500. If and when supply issues get resolved, I do expect to see a bigger supply of gray marketed equipment which at least gives some relief to those that are not under good insurance plans. I don't expect to see 2019 prices again, but knowing how these devices are built from relatively inexpensive components, and pressure from increased presence of Chinese manufacturers is going to eventually impact the prices that can be commanded by Philips and Resmed.