Is a new sleep study necessary with S-9 APAP usage?

[groovetta]

My hubby has been using my S-9 Auto. He has been told he needs a new sleep study since it has been 15 years since his diagnostic sleep study and a new study is required (a general insurance requirement) to get a new machine. Is a new sleep study necessary if we can produce a report from the S-9 auto (APAP)?

[Pugsy]

Are they wanting to do a new sleep study without cpap, otherwise called a diagnostic study, to prove he has Obstructive Sleep Apnea? That some miracle hasn't happened and he no longer needs cpap so they don't have to buy him a new machine?

Here's a potential problem with using the S9 report....if it shows minimal events (which we would expect it to show minimal events if the therapy is working well) then it won't prove a need.
Now you might be able to prove a need if you used the barest minimum pressure and that pressure allowed a truckload of apnea events to happen AND IF they (doctor/insurance people) would accept that as proof like "see here this is what happens when the pressure is too low...imagine how bad it would be without a machine totally" type of thing.

Now common sense tells us that if the pressure is changing on the AutoSet that there's a reason for it and the reason would be the airway collapsing and flow reduction or cessation but doctors and insurance companies aren't well known for their common sense.

[chunkyfrog]

Insurance is known for playing these games, hoping they will not have to pay on a claim.
If you want your money's worth, you may have to play along.
You might ask if an in home test will satisfy the requirement.

[groovetta]

Here is what the report shows: (doc hasn't seen the report yet though)
Pressure- cmH2O
Median pressure: 8.0 cmH2O
95th percentile: 10.9
Maximum: 10.9

Leak: L/min.
Median leak: 0.0L/min.
95th percentile: 9.6
Maximum: 24.0

Respiratory indices-event/hour
Apnea index: 0.6
Hypopnea index: 0.6
AHI: 1.2
Obstructive: 0.5
Central: 0.0
Unknown: 0.0


And, of course usage compliance and APAP settings of 5.0-11.0 cmH2O

[Goofproof]

Or you could buy out of pocket, and by-pass the INS, depending on your INS, the cost could be about the same without the hassle. Jim