Apnea newbie

Hello all! I was recently diagnosed with a mild case of osa. I am completely new to all this. From the limited reading i have done on here this seems like a great place for great info! Honestly i am completely overwhelmed with it all right now. I have a few questions that i hope you all can help me with. I have a scrip for a machine but haven’t gone further with anything yet. I did an at-home study and the only results the doc went over with me was i stopped breathing 12 times per hour. I don’t have any other data yet. My experience with my insurance company is limited as well so i know i need to contact them and get familiar with their policies on cpap. I am frustrated that my doc didnt give me more info when i was diagnosed as to how this process works... then again i am not really good at asking questions in the moment either. I tend to need to mull over things for a while first.

1. Would it be better to just buy a machine myself and submit a claim to my insurance (blue cross) or rent one for a while? I was pretty discouraged when i found out how the dme can operate with a newbie and i am afraid of being duped.

2. What type of machines and masks should i be looking for to start with if my doc didn’t prescribe a specific one? I know i would want a full data one that is sleepyhead compatible.

My real need is just to take a breath and find a place to start. Please help!

Hi... well, to start with, you usually need a prescription for a new machine, with the pressure settings programmed (we could help you tweak them eventually if necessary). However, while you can find machines that you might get with no script, you also don't know what you're getting (at this point) and/or what you personally need, not to mention hopefully not getting cheated on price or condition. Right now you need to be brave and demand your results (yours by law) from the doctor, ask when you're getting a machine,and you'll then at least have an idea of what pressures to go with, and with the info you get, we can usually help get you set up properly. Your insce co may need a script also to cover you, so you need to talk to them, not just randomly submit a claim and hope they honor it.

Your doctor must have said something about when you're getting a machine and/or what type it would be (hopefully full data capable) because it doesn't really make sense that he arranged even the home study (didn't he?) and then ignored the 'future'.

Best machine for the average person is the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset For Her.

Best mask, that's what ever fits your face.

I like the Resmed Airfit P10. other people don't. ymmv, etc.

So many variables when it comes to insurance coverage. Consider things like your deductible and what your copay might be for a purchase. Does your insurance even pay for a purchase up front, or do they require a rental period after which you own the machine? In the case of a rental, how much of the monthly bill are you responsible for? Will your insurance require an overnight lab titration? If so, factor in any cost to you. If costs are not an issue, nothing wrong with going the the usual channels. And find out which specific machine the DME would dispense to see if it is acceptable to you. You could check back here for input on the machine they plan to dispense. The more precise you are up front, the less opportunity for regret.

- Ask the doctor for a copy of your sleep study.
- Make a copy of your prescription. You'll need one to buy the machine and you may need the copy to buy a mask somewhere else.
- As Palerider stated, the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset For Her is a top of the line machine.
- What type of mask did you use for your sleep study? Did you like it? There are several types of masks:
- nasal pillows (less intrusive, but you HAVE to keep your mouth closed at night. If you don't, you'll greatly reduce your therapy effectiveness).
- nasal mask (same as above - maybe a little more intrusive).
- Full face mask (more intrusive, but you can keep your mouth open at night without affecting the quality of your therapy).
- the selection of a mask is a journey. I went a half a dozen masks before I found a couple of good ones.
- educate yourself here.
- bring any issues here.... we'll help you thru them.

Sheriff
PS: welcome to the forum!

The first place to start is with your insurance company. You need to find out what your coverage is and if they purchase the machine outright, if you need to do a rent to own, or if it is rent only. Once you know the answer to these questions, you can then know if you can use your insurance to help purchase the machine and if it is cost effective to do so. If you have a high deductable, it will probably be cheaper to purchase your machine on line than through a brick and mortar DME. If paying out of pocket, some local DMEs will match on line prices. You will know only if you ask them.