Most people never chose their CPAP supplier. The sleep clinic sent your prescription somewhere, a box arrived, and that was that.
So when the calls stop being returned, or the supplies stop arriving, people assume they are stuck. They are not. You can change supplier, and plenty of people do.
The catch is timing. Move at the wrong moment and you can restart a clock you did not know was running.
First, is it the supplier or the equipment?
Worth asking before you go to the trouble.
If your mask leaks or your nose is blocked, that is equipment, and a decent supplier should fix it. Give them one clear chance. Call, describe the problem plainly, and ask what they will do.
Switch when the problem is the supplier itself:
- Calls and messages go unanswered
- They will not fit you in person, or keep sending the same mask that has never worked
- Supplies arrive late, wrong, or not at all
- Bills turn up that nobody warned you about
- They cannot tell you what your plan covers
That last one matters more than it sounds. A supplier who cannot explain your coverage is a supplier who will surprise you with bills.
The timing question that catches people out
Here is the part almost nobody is told.
If you are on Medicare, your machine is usually rented for the first 13 months. You do not own it during that time. After 13 continuous months of rental payments, the supplier transfers ownership to you.
If you switch before that clock runs out, the rental generally starts again with the new supplier. You may have to return the machine you have been using and receive a different one. Your doctor will also need to write a new order.
If you can reasonably wait until you own the machine, waiting is usually simpler. After that point you are only moving your supplies, which is a much smaller thing.
Private insurance often works in a similar way, with its own rental period and its own rules. The details vary more than people expect.
So ask both suppliers directly, before you move. Ask the one you are leaving where you stand in the rental. Ask the new one what switching now would mean. Get both answers before you decide.
What to check before you commit
Do this in order. It takes one afternoon.
1. Confirm the new supplier takes your insurance. For Medicare this means they must be Medicare-enrolled. Checking this first saves everything that follows.
2. Find out where you are in the rental. Call your current supplier. Ask how many months have been billed, and when you will own the machine.
3. Ask your doctor's office about a new order. A new supplier normally needs a fresh prescription. The office can usually send it directly.
4. Ask the new supplier what they need from you. Most will handle the paperwork if you let them. The good ones offer before you ask.
5. Do not return anything until the new supply is confirmed. Never leave yourself without a working machine, even for a few nights.
The questions worth asking a new supplier
Ask these on the phone, before you commit to anything. The answers tell you more than any website will.
- Do you fit masks in person? An in-person fitting solves more problems than any other single thing a supplier does.
- Who do I call when something goes wrong, and how fast do you answer? Listen for a direct number rather than a general line.
- Do you remind me when supplies are due, or ship automatically? Take the version that asks you first, so nothing arrives unexpectedly.
- What will I actually pay, including my share? A good supplier can check your coverage in minutes and give you a real number.
- What brands and mask styles do you carry? A narrow range means fewer options when the first mask does not suit you.
- Do you handle the paperwork for switching? If the answer is vague, expect to chase it yourself.
Write the answers down. If they will not give you clear ones on the phone, that is your answer.
What happens to your old supplies
Anything you already own is yours to keep. Masks, cushions, tubing, and filters do not go back.
A rented machine is different. If you are switching mid-rental, ask exactly what has to be returned, when, and how. Get that in writing rather than over the phone.
Do not send equipment back before the replacement has arrived and is working.
After you switch
Two things are worth doing in the first month.
Check the first invoice line by line, against what you were told you would pay. Mistakes are easiest to fix straight away.
Then ask the new supplier to review your mask fit, even if nothing seems wrong. It is a natural moment to fix a problem you have been living with.
Your next step
Make one call today, to your current supplier, and ask one question. How many months of my rental have been billed, and when do I own the machine?
That answer decides whether you move now or wait. You cannot plan anything until you have it.
Then, when you are ready, find suppliers near you on CPAPLocator and ring two of them with the questions above.
*CPAPLocator.com is a directory service only. We are not a medical provider. Content is for informational purposes only. Always consult your healthcare provider.*