What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
englandsf
Posts: 1016
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 6:17 pm
Location: Austin TX

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by englandsf » Thu Jan 29, 2015 7:00 am

Isn't it our job to choose good doctors, not "mafia"? By saying no to bad ones we get the treatment we need from someone we trust. Yes?

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead SW. NeilMed and Alkalol Nasal rinses. Veramyst. AutoPAP 11-20 cms. Started June '14, untreated AHI 31-38, with PAP around 1.

Melanndoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:00 pm

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Melanndoll » Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:33 am

Just wanted to give you all an update. I saw that they had billed my insurance $3500 for the cpap titration which I have not even received results for, so I called my doctor this morning. The nurse called back and said she went ahead and faxed my info to apria so they will be giving me a call. Maybe not this week though. And if I hadn't called? When were you planning on sending that info? I just want my machine so hopefully I can start feeling better! So, I'll probably try and call apria myself this afternoon because people only call you if you owe them money!! Also, I want the AirSense Autoset for her and if they are not going to give me that then I will be buying online anyway!!! Just frustrated and needed to vent to someone that would understand?

Anyone know a time frame from here? Like once I talk to apria when will I have my cpap?

User avatar
Pugsy
Posts: 63941
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Pugsy » Thu Feb 05, 2015 12:09 pm

Melanndoll wrote:Anyone know a time frame from here? Like once I talk to apria when will I have my cpap?
It depends on how efficient they are in general...as in getting the necessary information to the insurance company and what they have on the shelf in terms of inventory.
99.9% of the time they don't get in a rush to get the necessary paperwork to the insurance company but then they blame the insurance company for their laziness.

In actual truth...most of it could all be done in one day if someone would put forth the effort.
My information went to a DME and 2 hours later I was approved...but the DME wasn't Apria and insurance was Medicare.
It doesn't take nearly as long to get things approved if someone would just get off their lazy butts and do a little bit of work.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

Sleeprider
Posts: 1562
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:57 pm
Location: Murrysville, PA

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Sleeprider » Thu Feb 05, 2015 12:14 pm

Melanndoll wrote:Just wanted to give you all an update. I saw that they had billed my insurance $3500 for the cpap titration which I have not even received results for, so I called my doctor this morning. The nurse called back and said she went ahead and faxed my info to apria so they will be giving me a call. Maybe not this week though. And if I hadn't called? When were you planning on sending that info? I just want my machine so hopefully I can start feeling better! So, I'll probably try and call apria myself this afternoon because people only call you if you owe them money!! Also, I want the AirSense Autoset for her and if they are not going to give me that then I will be buying online anyway!!! Just frustrated and needed to vent to someone that would understand?

Anyone know a time frame from here? Like once I talk to apria when will I have my cpap?
You probably know that it really doesn't matter how much they bill, they accept the contract price which will be quite a bit less than half of that. Of course if you didn't have insurance, you get stuck with the full cost as billed.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead software. Just changed from PRS1 BiPAP Auto DS760TS

User avatar
archangle
Posts: 9294
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 am

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by archangle » Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:07 pm

Melanndoll wrote:Just wanted to give you all an update. I saw that they had billed my insurance $3500 for the cpap titration which I have not even received results for, so I called my doctor this morning. The nurse called back and said she went ahead and faxed my info to apria so they will be giving me a call. Maybe not this week though. And if I hadn't called? When were you planning on sending that info? I just want my machine so hopefully I can start feeling better! So, I'll probably try and call apria myself this afternoon because people only call you if you owe them money!! Also, I want the AirSense Autoset for her and if they are not going to give me that then I will be buying online anyway!!! Just frustrated and needed to vent to someone that would understand?

Anyone know a time frame from here? Like once I talk to apria when will I have my cpap?
Unless your insurance forces you to use Apria, find a different DME.

Usually, you have the choice of multiple in-network DME's. Knowing your options makes it a lot easier to play one DME off against another and get the right machine. Check the useful links in my signature line to help you avoid getting screwed by the DME with a bad CPAP machine.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Also SleepyHead, PRS1 Auto, Respironics Auto M series, Legacy Auto, and Legacy Plus
Please enter your equipment in your profile so we can help you.
Click here for information on the most common alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check for yourself.

Useful Links.

User avatar
Pesser
Posts: 547
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 4:41 pm
Location: Nova Scotia Canada

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Pesser » Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:24 pm

With the Philips 60 series does the opti-start actually work? And the trial mode? Does Resmed have the same thing?

_________________
MachineMaskHumidifier
Additional Comments: Fear of devil with halo

Melanndoll
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:00 pm

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Melanndoll » Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:40 pm

Spoke with apria. Still looking at about another month before being able to get the machine I want! Makes me wanna skip insurance and just buy one online!

Sleeprider
Posts: 1562
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 5:57 pm
Location: Murrysville, PA

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Sleeprider » Thu Feb 05, 2015 3:52 pm

Pesser wrote:With the Philips 60 series does the opti-start actually work? And the trial mode? Does Resmed have the same thing?
What amazes me is that with the PR S1 460 IQ, Respironics is manufacturing a fully capable APAP with functions intentionally disabled to straight CPAP once the DME figures out the titration. This is an intentionally disabled 560, and any price difference is contrived to keep patients in CPAPs reliant on changes by DMEs and doctors. Why does this bother me?

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead software. Just changed from PRS1 BiPAP Auto DS760TS

User avatar
Pesser
Posts: 547
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 4:41 pm
Location: Nova Scotia Canada

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by Pesser » Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:15 pm

Sleeprider wrote:
Pesser wrote:With the Philips 60 series does the opti-start actually work? And the trial mode? Does Resmed have the same thing?
What amazes me is that with the PR S1 460 IQ, Respironics is manufacturing a fully capable APAP with functions intentionally disabled to straight CPAP once the DME figures out the titration. This is an intentionally disabled 560, and any price difference is contrived to keep patients in CPAPs reliant on changes by DMEs and doctors. Why does this bother me?
Wow!!!!!

Does the opti-start and trial work? I have it on my 560 and I know a few friends that solved the pressure problem levels by using these options. Is this possible?

_________________
MachineMaskHumidifier
Additional Comments: Fear of devil with halo

User avatar
palerider
Posts: 32300
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Dallas(ish).

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by palerider » Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:17 pm

Pesser wrote:With the Philips 60 series does the opti-start actually work? And the trial mode? Does Resmed have the same thing?
resmed does not have optistart or atrial functionality.

_________________
Mask: Bleep DreamPort CPAP Mask Solution
Additional Comments: S9 VPAP Auto
Get OSCAR

Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

User avatar
palerider
Posts: 32300
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Dallas(ish).

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by palerider » Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:21 pm

Pesser wrote:
Sleeprider wrote:
Pesser wrote:With the Philips 60 series does the opti-start actually work? And the trial mode? Does Resmed have the same thing?
What amazes me is that with the PR S1 460 IQ, Respironics is manufacturing a fully capable APAP with functions intentionally disabled to straight CPAP once the DME figures out the titration. This is an intentionally disabled 560, and any price difference is contrived to keep patients in CPAPs reliant on changes by DMEs and doctors. Why does this bother me?
Wow!!!!!

Does the opti-start and trial work? I have it on my 560 and I know a few friends that solved the pressure problem levels by using these options. Is this possible?
well, cranky comments from the peanut gallery aside, I think that optistart is a sensible thing, though I never saw it work for the time I had a 560 here.

atrial is a really neat idea, especially for people that follow the wulfman school of straight pressure. the machine performs a multi night titration on you, then sets a pressure, and re-evaluates it on a regular basis. what's not to like from a 'cpap' person's view?

the as10 for her has something optistartish... in that after you have a couple events, it raises the base minimum ... for that night, no more trying to go down down down until you start having events again, like most apaps. but, it resets the next night.

_________________
Mask: Bleep DreamPort CPAP Mask Solution
Additional Comments: S9 VPAP Auto
Get OSCAR

Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

yaconsult
Posts: 1099
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2014 10:43 pm
Location: "Silicon Valley", CA

Re: What was the benefit of a home sleep test?

Post by yaconsult » Thu Feb 05, 2015 8:10 pm

Melanndoll wrote:Spoke with apria. Still looking at about another month before being able to get the machine I want! Makes me wanna skip insurance and just buy one online!
I am in the same boat. Have been on cpap for severe apnea for many years, but hadn't seen a doctor about it in years. With new insurance, they wanted to do a lab sleep study, so I went along with it. Afterwards, they wrote a prescription for a new machine and said I just have to wait to hear from the DME. At least the doctor specified an AirSense Auto which I had told him in the appointment was important since I monitored my results.

I was having issues with my old machine so I checked craigslist and happened to find a PR System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex with only 95 hours on it for $100. Since it was a data-capable machine, I scooped it up immediately. But I admit that it was pure luck as the machines I've seen on craigslist since then have been older and/or more in the $200-$500 range. So at least I have a reasonable machine to use until the insurance is sorted out, if it ever is. Sure, it's two generations old but better than what I had before and it has much more data available for analysis.

If you do end up buying your own machine, please make sure you get advice here to ensure you get a machine that will provide the data you need for monitoring your progress and making adjustments. Almost all the machines have a dumbed-down model that you do not want to be stuck with. The support here on the forums is amazing. Best of luck to you!

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: January 2015 Sleep Study Results: Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI): 80.2, Sleepyhead