“Motor life exceeded, please contact service provider."

My VPAP machine came up with this message:

“Motor life exceeded, please contact service provider.”

Is this urgent? Is it going to stop working suddenly?

Nate

PS Mine was supplied by Medicare.

Only if it stops working. It's either a sign, they want you to spend money, or a warning to get a replacement to cover the failure.

It could also stop working when you first took it out of the box new, but now with age, the odd's are better for them, that it will fail.

Be Prepared! "Boy Scout Motto"! Jim

I've been prepared for 13 years Bought a second machine and a third too. Machine One still works.

This is amazing. I emailed my national mask supplier and within 15 minutes they called me back and are on the case to get me a new machine to the same specifications. I was concerned about this because I have central apnea not obstructive and my machine is a ResMed ASV, and the new doctors that just took over my sleep lab seem to be "learning on the job" and I dreaded having to go through their office unless absolutely necessary.

Padlock your credit card, until you find out what your cost will be, sounds like Big Money drives Service. Make sure you can live with the deal. Jim

It's time for a new machine, but it's not an emergency. Make sure you're getting the right machine and not overpaying.

Hmmm, wonder if that's like the dreaded "check engine" light programmed to come on in our cars. However, I'm glad you chose to err on the side of caution and check up on it. Just curious, how many hours did you get out of the machine?

kteague wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:24 pm

Hmmm, wonder if that's like the dreaded "check engine" light programmed to come on in our cars. However, I'm glad you chose to err on the side of caution and check up on it. Just curious, how many hours did you get out of the machine?

i doubt that, it's more likely a countdown clock, looking for your bank account. The one in your car monitors hundreds or thousands of things that are sending out of spec readings. Jim

Goofproof wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 21, 2018 4:00 pm

Padlock your credit card, until you find out what your cost will be, sounds like Big Money drives Service. Make sure you can live with the deal. Jim

Thanks, Jim. Rest assured that my supplier does not have my credit card. I receive my regular supplies from them under Medicare and my Medigap policy. My existing machine was covered in full in December of 2011, and I was entitled to a replacement if needed in, if I recall correctly, 2016 but I was content to keep using it as long as it kept working without any warnings. Of course, Medicare provides that if a machine reaches its five-year life expectancy, is in good working order and meets the patient’s medical needs, it should not automatically be replaced. Like my original machine, this one will be a ResMed ASV for my central apnea, with heated tubing. I hope I like it as well as I liked my existing machine, until this warning came up, which I consider equivalent to Mean Time Before Failure in computer parlance.

According to SleepyHead and Rescan, I have a 98% compliance rate with an Average Hours per night of 8.25. Even one night without it, which has happened only a few times over the past 7 years, makes me absolutely miserable for days, so I don't want to take any chances. And as a long, long time computer user, I have always taken MTBF numbers and warnings seriously, considering the alternative consequences, and the fact that I have a heart condition and a pacemaker.

The replacement machine is an AirCurve 10 VPAP ASV W/ ClimateLineAir Tubing.

Medicare provides that if a PAP machine is replaced following the five-year RUL, there must be a face-to-face evaluation by the treating physician documenting that the patient continues to use and benefit from the PAP machine. By coincidence, I had this about a month or two ago. There is no requirement for a new sleep test or trial period.

Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards, Nate

NateS wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 22, 2018 2:10 pm

Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards, Nate

Merry Christmas to you too!

Well this is interesting. I'm about to fight this battle too. I never even check my scores anymore. They're always 1.0 or less. But after talking/looking about replacement rules, on a lark I decided to see what my last score was..... and there's this message.

I got mine under Tricare but I'm on Medicare now.

I have a national DME too. I kind of hate them, all the are is a shipping center.

Nate do you mind saying who you have as a supplier?

If you want to get a new machine from a different supplier, the place to start is here: https://www.medicare.gov/supplierdirectory/search.html

This will show you a list of Medicare approved suppliers in your area. Most suppliers that accept Medicare will accept Tricare as a secondary insurance. You may also need to make a visit to your doctor to have him or her verify you have been using your old machine.

I pretty much know where I want to get the machine from. When I got the machine 6 years ago I was on Tricare and dealt with a DME called JC Home Medical. When I turned 65 I had to leave them because they didn't deal with Medicare.

They now do, so I want to get back on board with them. Weird part is it almost seems like I have to start fresh even though I've been on a machine for 6 years.

JaxTom wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 08, 2019 1:54 am

Weird part is it almost seems like I have to start fresh even though I've been on a machine for 6 years.

My original sleep doctor moved her practice nearly two hours away. I liked her a lot but had no intention of driving two hours up and back again.

I did some research and found a doctor about 10 minutes away from me. He got my records from the original sleep doctor and said there was a new machine (mine was 8 years old) that would better fit my needs. He suggested a sleep study so he could verify compliance over the years in order to get me a new machine. I did the home sleep study. The doctor then sent a fax to Versus Healthcare (my choice) and I had my new machine (see my signature) in ten days. Yes, I had to once again show 'compliance', but I use the machine anyway so I didn't care in the least. Saw the doctor earlier this week for the face to face meeting and I was out the door. I'll see him again in a year, but that is my practice anyway. Many people don't like the new monitoring system, but I don't have a problem with it. If I decide I don't want it any longer, it's easy enough to put in airplane mode and bring my SD card to the doctor. Btw... I'm on Medicare also.

Best of luck in getting similar results.

I received my new machine - a ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV - in early January, from my regular Medicare-assigned DME supplier - Verus Healthcare and am very pleased with their service and with the machine. I would have gotten it sooner but my sleep doctor forgot to sign the Rx before sending it to them and it had to be returned to his office for signature and return again.

My only frustration with the machine is with the nightly removal of the water chamber. Instead of being lifted up and out as with my former machine, this one has to be slid out sideways from the main machine. It is a very snug fit, and the only provision for something to grip was a small rectangle of thin plastic glued to the top, which has a few ridges on it for a thumb press intended to slide it out towards the right. Since I am right-handed, this meant that I had to get into an awkward position in order to use my left thumb on it, and on the 2nd night, the dang thin plastic thumb-a-majig snapped right off. I wonder if anyone else has had this problem with the ResMed 10 series machines, which have been out for some time now and, if so, how they solved it.

Right now, every night it is a struggle to try to get a grip on the water tank in order to slide it out. There is nothing to grip. I have to try to force my fingernails into the space between the water chamber and the main machine to try to separate them. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Best wishes, Nate

I am right handed. I grip the water chamber with my right hand. Left hand used to just sort of hold onto the blower side of things.
You must have your machine turned facing a different direction than I do.

Not sure what broke off on the water chamber but if you are talking about the little gray thing with ridges on it....get a new water chamber.

But I do agree on one thing....sometimes that little SOB chamber is a bit difficult to remove.