Why prescription?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
moresleep
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by moresleep » Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:25 pm

LSAT wrote:
Guest wrote:
archangle wrote:By the way, if it didn't require a prescription, a lot of insurance companies would probably stop paying for it.
And market forces would bring the cost a device down to relatively nothing (compared to the thousands machines cost now).
CPAPs don't cost 'thousands'. At CPAP.COM, you can buy a CPAP with humidifier for under $400. If you want all the bells and whistles they can cost up to a thousand. Just like cars...you can buy a stripped down model or one loaded with equipment...they both will take you where you want to go.
Some CPAPs, such as the Bipap Auto SV or the Vpap Adapt SV, do cost thousands. But, I'm not sure making it a non-prescription item would bring the cost down--it did not do so in Australia. But, I do applaud Australia for letting consumers buy the CPAP without a prescription. The attitude toward CPAP therapy here is much too patronizing for my taste.

WestCoastCdnGrl
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by WestCoastCdnGrl » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:56 am

soundersfootballclub wrote:
jess wrote:Why do you need a prescription for a cpap machine --- it's just air? Can they hurt you if you don't have apnea?
I am new to all of this and even I can smell a scam. With that said I bought stock in Resmed (RMD) this week. The forces controlling these things will always win and always stay very very profitable at all costs.
If it IS a scam, it's one that I'm O.K. buying in to... I can't put a dollar figure on the improvement in my quality of life since Darth Vader came into my life and the several thousand dollars I've invested (or rather Pacific Blue Cross has invested, on my behalf) is a small price to pay for not being sleepy all of the time (mind you, afternoon naps are highly underrated! ) or a threat to myself and society as a whole every time I got behind the wheel of my car (I went on a road trip last week and was shocked to realize just how not sleepy I was behind the wheel after several hours of non stop driving)

I hate that my local Canadian DME sourced big ticket equipment (i.e. the machine, the masks, and hoses) is so much more expensive here in Metro Vangroovy than it is in the United States (which is 25km from my home)... the replacement parts, I've found, are cheaper at my DME than online, but that's little consolation for the sticker shock Canadian Hosers get when they go to get their equipment.

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So Well
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by So Well » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:03 am

Guest wrote:
archangle wrote:By the way, if it didn't require a prescription, a lot of insurance companies would probably stop paying for it.
And market forces would bring the cost a device down to relatively nothing (compared to the thousands machines cost now).
kempo wrote:Someone please show the the headlines " DEATH BY CPAP So an So died from too much air blowing into his/her nose."

Jess several reasons. There is too much money going into the pockets of the companies who make and sell cpaps and supplies. But the most important reason is these companies pore tons of money into the campaigns of our politicians. Plus there are numerous people who think no one but "them" can figure out how to use anything without the government telling us every move to make. You know, stupid Joe six pack who uses smart phones, lap tops, blue ray DVDs with LED flat screen TVs. There are tens of thousands of joe six packs who keep up with their blood sugar and give themselves injections and they buy their equipment of the shelf at Wally World.

I believe you should get a sleep test to see what you need and after that it should be open market off the shelf. If this would happen you could buy a top of the line cpap for $300 and you could tell the insurance companies to piss off.

Tell it! I don't have time today to get involved in this today but there is no good reasons that a prescription should be required to purchase a CPAP. There are dozens of great reasons that a prescription should not be required and you guys have mentioned a few.
So Well
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archangle
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by archangle » Thu Aug 18, 2011 2:43 pm

I shudder to think what would have happened if my dad had gotten a CPAP machine in the mail and didn't have a medical professional to help him with it.

Or how the people who have to recruit geeks like me to set up their TV would do if they had to figure out CPAP on their own without a doctor.

The free market libertarian in me sort of wants to say "let them die, and let those of us who are smart enough to figure it out do it without paying unnecessary extra cost for the machine and extortion to the doctor to do something I can do myself. Time to thin the herd."

Of course, the people not smart enough to do it on their own would be ill, miss work, or die and We'd all end up paying for it in various ways.

I could also point out that plenty of people who do pay the extortion to the doctors, DMEs, and CPAP manufacturers end up not getting it set up right either.

And that some people who need CPAP don't get it because they don't have the extra money or aren't willing to go through the BS to get a CPAP through the system.

For that matter, I shudder to think what would have happened to my dad with his CPAP if I hadn't been there to give him some advice, and he'd been left to the official medical professional care.

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jess
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by jess » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:25 pm

]For that matter, I shudder to think what would have happened to my dad with his CPAP if I hadn't been there to give him some advice, and he'd been left to the official medical professional care.

Oh no --- that's me. What kind of advice did you give him?

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soundersfootballclub
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by soundersfootballclub » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:45 pm

WestCoastCdnGrl wrote:
soundersfootballclub wrote:
jess wrote:Why do you need a prescription for a cpap machine --- it's just air? Can they hurt you if you don't have apnea?
I am new to all of this and even I can smell a scam. With that said I bought stock in Resmed (RMD) this week. The forces controlling these things will always win and always stay very very profitable at all costs.
If it IS a scam, it's one that I'm O.K. buying in to... I can't put a dollar figure on the improvement in my quality of life since Darth Vader came into my life and the several thousand dollars I've invested (or rather Pacific Blue Cross has invested, on my behalf) is a small price to pay for not being sleepy all of the time (mind you, afternoon naps are highly underrated! ) or a threat to myself and society as a whole every time I got behind the wheel of my car (I went on a road trip last week and was shocked to realize just how not sleepy I was behind the wheel after several hours of non stop driving)

I hate that my local Canadian DME sourced big ticket equipment (i.e. the machine, the masks, and hoses) is so much more expensive here in Metro Vangroovy than it is in the United States (which is 25km from my home)... the replacement parts, I've found, are cheaper at my DME than online, but that's little consolation for the sticker shock Canadian Hosers get when they go to get their equipment.
I am not arguing the benefits of the machine, not yet at least. I am pissed I had to pay so much for a sleep study when I could have just bought the machine and figured out whether or not I had sleep apnea on my own. My copay on the sleep study is $1100 which is what I paid for my machine. So I see the sleep study as a waste considering I'm young, healthy, and smart I don't need to throw money at the medical profession just to support someone's lifestyle. I mean come on, my sleep doc billed $440 for a 10 minute consultation to send me for the sleep study! Not right.

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archangle
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by archangle » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:50 pm

jess wrote:]For that matter, I shudder to think what would have happened to my dad with his CPAP if I hadn't been there to give him some advice, and he'd been left to the official medical professional care.

Oh no --- that's me. What kind of advice did you give him?
They didn't give him a humidifier at first, even though they gave him a mask that said it required a humidifier. I went in with him to the VA and politely pointed out this and they got him a humidifier. He was in a humid city, but it still got dry inside during the winter or during the summer with air conditioning running. I helped him out with dealing with mask problems and a few other things. I also listened to him at night and could tell him he was snoring, not breathing, or worst of all, leaking all his air out.

I'm not sure he would have gone through the hassle without me encouraging him.

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D.H.
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by D.H. » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:17 pm

archangle wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:52 pm
By the way, if it didn't require a prescription, a lot of insurance companies would probably stop paying for it.
Thanks, I think that this is the important point. A new machine costs several hundred dollars, and accessories also need to be replaced. Many people need the insurance coverage to make it affordable.

BTW, you can get one without a prescription in the U.S. (if you pay out of pocket), regardless of the legality of doing so (or lack thereof).

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Pugsy
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Re: Why prescription?

Post by Pugsy » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:35 pm

Zombie thread alert.
Old thread resurrected by DH and I have no idea how or why he stumbled on it. Used to we could blame spam but not now.


If you want to reply to anyone...be aware that they may not be active on the forum any more.

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Re: Why prescription?

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:01 pm

Guess who was bored . . . AGAIN!

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Re: Why prescription?

Post by palerider » Fri Apr 20, 2018 7:55 pm

None of us would complain if you just quietly deleted his drivel.... or him.

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Re: Why prescription?

Post by Goofproof » Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:25 pm

D.H., The Lost in the Land of the Lost! Again! Jim
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