Author Topic: N95 Masks for Hospitals  (Read 5751 times)

Offline aygart

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2020, 11:18:27 AM »
Correct. Its really terrible that prices shot up. But these hospitals and medical facilities are playing these games with people's lives. There is 0 shortage.
Okay everyone else is saying there is a shortage. If it is gouging then report them to the AG office.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline yaakov35

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2020, 11:35:06 AM »
Okay everyone else is saying there is a shortage. If it is gouging then report them to the AG office.
Ya well they're lying. And report who? It's the same distributors that just want more money now.

Offline aygart

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #22 on: March 27, 2020, 11:53:10 AM »
Ya well they're lying. And report who? It's the same distributors that just want more money now.
That is textbook price gouging.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Savingsbeast

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #23 on: March 27, 2020, 12:44:35 PM »
Okay everyone else is saying there is a shortage. If it is gouging then report them to the AG office.
It is not necessarily gouging they are paying more for the manufacturer. You can't exactly report a Chinese manufacturer to the AG.

If everyone, from the manufacturer to the last middleman, is adding only 10% to what they normally make, you end up with a product that is significantly more expensive and nobody is price gouging.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2020, 12:48:02 PM by Savingsbeast »

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #24 on: March 27, 2020, 12:46:43 PM »
Correct. Its really terrible that prices shot up. But these hospitals and medical facilities are playing these games with people's lives. There is 0 shortage.
Just wondering, do you have any knowledge in this specific situation or are you just talking based on whatever?

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #25 on: March 27, 2020, 12:56:12 PM »
Based on best practice, we should be going through probably 3000-6000 (very rough estimate number) masks a day during this time. If you think it is affordable to be spending $3000-$6000 on ONLY MASKS, you obviously know nothing about economics.
Yes, there is a shortage. Yes, there is price gouging. Yes, there are people taking advantage of the situation and making a lot of money because of it and therefore causing deaths. Thankfully I don't do the purchasing for my facility so I'm not fully in the know but my understanding is that the real regular vendors (both national companies like Medline and the more local companies like Tristate, Gerimedix, etc) are BARELY raising their prices. Same as how Costco, Walgreens, etc have not risen their price. It's the guys that are buying out the market and hoarding that is raising the prices like crazy and further creating shortages.
BTW I'm in a midsize nursing facility (~200 beds) in NYC but do have a certified vent unit as well as about 35 contact precautions and 15 droplet precautions (just to put the above numbers into perspective). A large facility or hospital could be going thru tens of thousands or even hundred of thousands masks a day.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2020, 12:59:23 PM by Sammy82 »

Offline yos9694

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #26 on: March 27, 2020, 01:02:47 PM »
Stimulus bill has earmarks for this

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #27 on: March 27, 2020, 01:14:26 PM »
Stimulus bill has earmarks for this
We'll see how it plays out but even with that people are going to take advantage of it. I got an email from a pop-up vendor trying to sell plastic gowns (basically a garbage bag with arms). (Nothing medical,sterilized, etc.) I replied asking what it costs. He tells me that these are american made, with welders, craftsman, carpenters and so on. He mentions that FEMA may help cover . Mentions that the stimulus may cover.  I finally tell him to cut to the chase, WHAT IS THE PRICE. He tells me 100 piece case is $500. I told him good luck.
Someone here might say that we're just being stingy. But I can't justify paying $5.00 for a piece of plastic. Especially when we'll need several hundred of them a day and when they don't even fill the real need.
Again, could be it will be covered but the bill but it's not clear. And even if it does end up covering, is it unlimited? And how long until we get reimbursed?

Offline aygart

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #28 on: March 27, 2020, 01:21:03 PM »
We'll see how it plays out but even with that people are going to take advantage of it. I got an email from a pop-up vendor trying to sell plastic gowns (basically a garbage bag with arms). (Nothing medical,sterilized, etc.) I replied asking what it costs. He tells me that these are american made, with welders, craftsman, carpenters and so on. He mentions that FEMA may help cover . Mentions that the stimulus may cover.  I finally tell him to cut to the chase, WHAT IS THE PRICE. He tells me 100 piece case is $500. I told him good luck.
Someone here might say that we're just being stingy. But I can't justify paying $5.00 for a piece of plastic. Especially when we'll need several hundred of them a day and when they don't even fill the real need.
Again, could be it will be covered but the bill but it's not clear. And even if it does end up covering, is it unlimited? And how long until we get reimbursed?

Report him t the AG office for price gouging.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #29 on: March 27, 2020, 01:25:27 PM »
Report him t the AG office for price gouging.
Every state has different laws. From reading on a different thread, it seems like in NJ, if a final vendor got ripped off and therefore is ripping you off, he isn't liable. Other states maybe yes. In short, it is probably very complicated and could be a lot of time and effort, which I don't have these days. 

Offline yaakov35

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #30 on: March 27, 2020, 01:29:15 PM »
Just wondering, do you have any knowledge in this specific situation or are you just talking based on whatever?
I do purchasing for few nursing homes and hospitals. And let me reiterate. There is no shortage. Its all about the $$. The hospitals that want supplies have.

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #31 on: March 27, 2020, 01:37:18 PM »
I do purchasing for few nursing homes and hospitals. And let me reiterate. There is no shortage. Its all about the $$. The hospitals that want supplies have.
Assuming ur telling the truth, are you based in the midwest or west coast? Maybe things are different there.
From speaking to my purchaser (granted we're a small group, only 3 homes) as well as a few suppliers (again, I don't involve myself much with purchasing), up until this week, there most definitely was a shortage. ONobody medical professional would put themselves (not to mention their residents) at risk by using the same mask for a full week, as at least 2 very prestigious hospitals here have been making their staff do, unless it was not possible to get the necessary PPE.
And the next thing coming are gowns shortages.

Offline aygart

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #32 on: March 27, 2020, 01:41:52 PM »
Every state has different laws. From reading on a different thread, it seems like in NJ, if a final vendor got ripped off and therefore is ripping you off, he isn't liable. Other states maybe yes. In short, it is probably very complicated and could be a lot of time and effort, which I don't have these days. 

You don't need to be the one investigating that.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline yaakov35

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #33 on: March 27, 2020, 02:22:31 PM »
Assuming ur telling the truth, are you based in the midwest or west coast? Maybe things are different there.
From speaking to my purchaser (granted we're a small group, only 3 homes) as well as a few suppliers (again, I don't involve myself much with purchasing), up until this week, there most definitely was a shortage. ONobody medical professional would put themselves (not to mention their residents) at risk by using the same mask for a full week, as at least 2 very prestigious hospitals here have been making their staff do, unless it was not possible to get the necessary PPE.
And the next thing coming are gowns shortages.
Most of the facilities i work with are on the east coast, few scattered throughout rest of country. All are regular suppliers are well stocked, but their prices went up because their distributors went up because demand went up. There is 100% price gauging going on to a really terrible level. But my point is that there BILLIONS and BILLIONS of masks and ppe equipment in the tri state area right now.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2020, 04:33:00 PM by yaakov35 »

Offline how

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #34 on: March 27, 2020, 03:01:10 PM »
Most of the facilities i work with are on the east cost, few scattered throughout rest of country. All are regular suppliers are well stocked, but their prices went up because their distributors went up because demand went up. There is 100% price gauging going on to a really terrible level. But my point is that there BILLIONS and BILLIONS of masks and ppe equipment in the tri state area right now.
So can you get us some gowns?

Offline Sammy82

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #35 on: March 27, 2020, 03:03:11 PM »
So can you get us some gowns?
Sure he could. For the right price  ;)

Offline how

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #36 on: March 27, 2020, 03:23:19 PM »
Sure he could. For the right price  ;)
waiting for his response...


Offline yaakov35

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #37 on: March 27, 2020, 04:33:49 PM »
So can you get us some gowns?
Im not in the resale business, but people that are would be more than happy to help you out

Offline how

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #38 on: March 27, 2020, 04:56:41 PM »
Im not in the resale business, but people that are would be more than happy to help you out
Still looking for those people

Offline hvaces42

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Re: N95 Masks for Hospitals
« Reply #39 on: March 27, 2020, 05:00:24 PM »
So can you get us some gowns?
If there wasnt a shortage the state wouldnt be getting them for nursing homes. I picked up an order for one home and the state sent 60 gowns for the week.  :o

Also, when you say there is N-95 availability it doesnt mean KN-95 and it doesnt mean at $10 a piece. Thats not availability.

Hatzolah is running low on everything and they are scrambling. Using a box of gloves a day for active members. No N-95s available.

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