begun Medicare. The company that supplied those supplies (Alpine Home Medical) said that now that I'm under Medicare, that I would need to have a new sleep study. I contacted my primary medical individual, they referred me to a Sleep Study group. I did the study. Then about 1 1/2 months later, I got a call from Alpine Home Medical telling me that they got the report and I needed to set up an appointment. The Sleep Center had suggested BiPap again, but a different kind. I don't remember the technical name of it. I did this back in February. Now finally tomorrow I meet with Alpine Home Medical and will get the new machine and equipment.

The week after Alpine Home Medical called, my primary care physician's office called telling me the results were back and they could set me up with an outfit that could provide the equipment I needed. I told them that I had already heard from Alpine and they said that was fine and good luck.

The last time I had done this under my medical insurance, I think my portion was like $80. Now it will cost me $490 and I am actually "renting" the equipment for 1 year. Medicare will not purchase the equipment out-right. They say it's because a lot of people would have them pay and they wouldn't use the equipment that Medicare had paid for. So this way, with me paying a portion of that $490 each month, they believe I'd be more sold into the program. I have a mandatory appointment with the pulmonologist representing the Sleep Study company (Revere Health Care) in 90 days. That's required also from Medicare. At the end of the year, it's my equipment and going forward it'll be like before where I will only pay a portion of the new equipment (masks, hoses, filters, etc.).