Blue Cross Alabama

[DaMa]

Hi,

I've been using cpap for 10 years. Today I found out that BCBS-Alabama seems to have a unique replacement policy. They pay for replacement full face mask cushions 1 per 6 months and filters 1 per 3 months. I've been getting cushions 1 per month and filters 2 per month for the past 10 years, and that was with 4 other insurance plans. Of course, I find this out after the DME provider sent them to me.

My SIL has been buying her supplies off ebay for years for about 40% less than what the insurance pays. I guess I'll be going that route, too.




.

[LSAT]

What do you do with a cushion every month? Mine last about 8 months. When I was using the Quattro, they lasted even longer...I boiled the cushions.

[chunkyfrog]

Quattro cushions barely lasted me ONE LOUSY MONTH.
Afer three months, I quit feeding the quattro black hole.
IMO, your employer chose a plan based on THEIR costs, not yours.
Feel free to buy online.
My first DME apparently had a "deal" with BCBS.
Trust neither.

[DaMa]

I am filing a appeal based on the HHS guidelines at https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-12-00250.pdf.

@LSAT, how do you get yours to last? Mine get really soft and floppy. I can push it to 2 months match, but then they just leak too much.

(Sorry it took me so long to repost. It's been a hellish year.)

[Mr Nosey]

I had BCBS Alabama and used it for the purchase of one CPAP machine and mask..however, the yearly out-of-pocket amount is a joke, so did not go that route for the next year.
Instead, I look to the large discounts that occur at the end of the year, when CPAP equipment suppliers are hustling to capture the FSA/HSA spend at year's end.

[Janknitz]

I celebrated the day I lost DME coverage for supplies. I spend less buying online, get exactly what I want, and NO hassle.

I got 52 filters for about $12. I buy new headgear when I need it, not off some unrealistic schedule (that's the only part that seems to wear out fast, and is replaced only every 6 months by insurers).

[LSAT]

I am filing a appeal based on the HHS guidelines at https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-12-00250.pdf.

@LSAT, how do you get yours to last? Mine get really soft and floppy. I can push it to 2 months match, but then they just leak too much.

(Sorry it took me so long to repost. It's been a hellish year.)

First...I rarely washed the mask..just wiped the cushion with a baby wipe every night. The cushion was lightly washed at about 2 months. At about 3 months I boiled the cushions. Put distilled water in a saucepan along with 1 tsp baking soda. When the water boils, put in the cushion for about 3+ minutes. Rinse with distilled water and let air dry. If you rinse with tap water, you may get white spots. Boiling makes the cushion like new.

[palerider]

Quattro cushions barely lasted me ONE LOUSY MONTH.
Afer three months, I quit feeding the quattro black hole.

wow, frogs must be really tough on mask cushions...
I used the first cushion for my mirage Quattro for nearly five years... had a spare, but the first one never failed me...

[chunkyfrog]

Well, that was when I was just starting out, and following the manufacturer's directions
--washing them every freakin' day.
Guess what--excessive cleaning kills silicone.
Sure glad I'm not a germophobe.
That could get expensive.

[palerider]

Well, that was when I was just starting out, and following the manufacturer's directions
--washing them every freakin' day.
Guess what--excessive cleaning kills silicone.
Sure glad I'm not a germophobe.
That could get expensive.

Indeed. I'd wipe the cushion daily and usually do dish soap gentle was weekly.

[booksfan]

I think sometimes it also depends on the mask. In my pre-Bleep days, the length of time a cushion would last varied. The mask I ended up using most, the Pilairo Q, would start leaking somewhere between 2 and 3 weeks. By 3 weeks, the leak rate was high enough the mask was pretty much unusable. I got between 3 and 4 weeks from the Nuance Pro. Washing vs. not washing vs. wipes did not seem to matter for me. Perhaps one's facial oils/composition/products used have something to do with it? I do use (girly ) facial cleanser and moisturizer although I avoid my nasal area.