Bring Sleepyhead data to appointment?

Guest wrote:if your doc specifies a cpap brand without you asking

Oh, you are so wrong on that. Over the last five years, many of my friends have told me they need to have a sleep study. I always push them hard toward my sleep doctor. I know she only prescribes ResMed autoset machines for her simple obstructive apnea patients. I know anyone I send there will be prescribed a good machine from the beginning.

Just an update. My DME kept saying, "Oh you'll need another sleep study". My doc seemed to just take them at their word.

Well, I've been trying to get a BiPAP for about a year now, maybe more - due to a CPAP that was prescribed at 18-20 cm, which maxed at 20 most nights, leaving me feeling like crap. And again, it was an assumption (made by my "first" sleep doc) that unless I "failed CPAP" *in a sleep study*, I couldn't get a BiPAP even with those pressures due to insurance polices. I would LOVE to give names of this doctor plus my insurance Co., as the doctor is no good (despite being at a highly-reputable "sleep center" at a hospital in NJ), and my insurance co. turned out to actually be *good*. The ins co name starts with "A".

Both my current doc (whom I like) and the DME were WRONG. I called my insurance again (Duh, right?), and described my problem (CPAP maxed out, need a BiPAP). My doc and I had done a 1-week Auto-BiPAP trial (BASED ON THE SH DATA I HAD SHOWN HIM - detailed data), and the BiPAP numbers were much better. The insurance person said it was up to the doctor as to what kind of evidence was needed to determine CPAP failure! If the doc wanted a study, that's what you'd have to do. Otherwise, whatever the doc felt they needed was enough.

I don't think the doc submitted the SH Data to insurance, but it certainly convinced him to go ahead and get an Auto-BiPAP. Now set at 21-25, with a PS of 3 - he used a PS of 3 because it was similar to a CPAP EPR of 3, which is what I used. Another topic for another time perhaps. Doesn't seem to cause any issues for me. I feel better, flow limit went way down, IPAP hangs around 21.00-22.50 cm most nights.

I digress. My humble opinion: get SH, watch your data, and yeah, take it to the doc if it makes sense to make a point or ask a question. Even if your insurance isn't as "easy" as mine turned out to be, you may be able to get your doc on the right path (or figure out s/he is not the right doc, if they blow your data off, for example).

My 2 cents.

It's always good to check with your insurance company. They know your policy better than your medical professionals know your policy.

And around here that insce. co's name is known as Crapria

Julie wrote:And around here that insce. co's name is known as Crapria

You are confusing an insurance company with a DME.

Crapria is for Apria which is a medical supply provider...DME.
Apria is NOT an insurance company.
Now a lot of insurance companies will have contracts with Apria but that doesn't make Apria an insurance company.

An insurance company beginning with the letter A...Aetna comes to mind or Anthem BlueCross/BlueShield and there are probably others that don't dome to mind.

You're right...