Talk to your clinic because they may be able to make some or all of the arrangements for you. My clinic set me up by prescribing the Vest, contacting the company to have it placed in my home and then sending out a tech to teach me to use it. The Vest company is great (Hill-Rom <A href="http://www.thevest.com">www.thevest.com</A>). They really want people with CF to have a Vest, so usually they will do all the work to file with your insurance if you have it. After insurance pays whatever they will, then they send you a bill with the remainder, but with a letter stating that if you are unable to pay, they will waive the remainder of the fee. If you contact them about inability to pay, they'll ask you some questions and then if approved, send you a waiver form to sign. Usually the waiver is contingent upon using the Vest regularly as prescribed. There is a counter in the machine that enable technicians to read how many hours it has been used. Hill-Rom is also great about handling machine problems. They've replaced my machine twice (as needed) with no questions asked. I would encourage you to contact Hill-Rom and talk to them because from what I hear, a new, smaller, lighter version of the current model is coming out soon (don't know *how* soon, though). The people at the company are great about answering any questions you might have (like plugging into non-American elecrtical outlets, travel, replacement, operation...). My Vest model is the original and it is big and heavy and not very portable (in fact, my Dad built a special cabinet to house it so that I could move it more easily from one room of my house to another). The current model is smaller and lighter than mine, but there is an even newer one coming. I'd just hate to see you get stuck with a big, heavy machine when a new one would be available just a few months down the road. BTW, concerning travel, mine can be taken as carry-on on a plane. So can my air compressor. Hope that helps. Feel free to ask more questions and I'll asnwer them if I can.
