Blue Cross allowed me to do a 90 trial on the Afflo Vest before they approved it. I had to pay $2,100 and Blue Cross paid $10,800 since the Afflo company promises to NEVER sell its Vest for more than $12,999.
It took about a month to get things right as I was measured initially for the Afflo Vest but when it came, it was MASSIVELY TOO BIG!!! Hung down past my knees, so back it went. A month later, the correct size arrived (Adult Med) and this was a good fit. When I approached my CF clinic about signing off on it, they were not in agreement. Seems they had heard at a convention that NOTHING is better than the Hill-Rom Vest and so have been discouraging patients from acquiring the Afflo, but I wanted to try it based on my own experience, not hear say. Which is why Blue Cross trialed it for 90 days in my home. All the time, I gave it a good workout. I took it on vacation and used it. Even now, I Afflo 1 hour four times a day because I still get good results. I will always say NOTHING beats a hands on beating!! Give me a person (usually a male) who has wicked upper body strength and can beat on my chest for half an hour four times a day. Now THAT is the BEST chest physio I benefit from. When I am admitted, the CF floor ONLY uses EnCourage vests after years of the Hill Rom Vest. Whatever.... Those are great and beat the snot right out of me! But I decided the AFFLO was a good fit for me so I bought it. Done. Since Feb 2015 I have been an AFFLO-er, when not in hospital using their loaner EnCourage. I asked the Afflo people to put an hour meter in the device so compliance can be verified as Blue Cross wanted hour readings to see I was using it. They are "working on it". They also need a duffle bag on wheels to cart it around as the bag they use now is a dud...and can't stand up to airport abuse. So my advice?? Ask for a trial of it and YOU decide.
