Dual Therapy- CPAP and Mouth Device

[Escapee]

Anyone here had any luck in getting insurance coverage for CPAP and a mandibular adjustment device? I would like to use both. I feel it will be more effective. More importantly i do a lot of trekking for days in mountains and battery operated cpap is not option. Any input in getting it covered thru insurance?

[D.H.]

I'm not clear if you want to use both at the same time or "switch off."

[LSAT]

It doesn't matter what we say or think....call your insurance company and ask.

[remstarcpap]

I second LSAT. Focus not on using both at the same time, as there is little or no medical evidence that that improves outcomes, but rather if you spend let's say 10% of your year trekking or hiking, you can make a medical argument that only an oral device will be practical in those settings. Insurance will definitely deny your request to use both, but may be more open to covering an oral appliance if you spend a lot of time in areas where you can't get power.

Also there may be some cheap oral appliance options. I know nothing about this one but a quick Google search found it:

https://www.snorerx.com

I am sure there are others as well. Good luck to you. Also, oral appliance is typically don't lower AHI as much as CPAP, more like 50%. But 50% is better than nothing especially if you're hiking.

[ChicagoGranny]

Anyone here had any luck in getting insurance coverage for CPAP and a mandibular adjustment device? I would like to use both. I feel it will be more effective. More importantly i do a lot of trekking for days in mountains and battery operated cpap is not option. Any input in getting it covered thru insurance?

Yes, both Gramps and I had insurance pay for CPAPs and MADs.

However, it did not happen at the same time. We had both been using CPAP for a few years before we got custom-made MADs. If you ask the insurance for both upfront, their bureaucracy might gum up like a chihuahua eating Nutella.

BTW, if you successfully use CPAP at home and then want to use MAD on a trip, try the MAD at home for a few nights. You will likely find you feel good using CPAP and feel very bad and fatigued using the MAD. CPAP is the gold standard by far.

[Escapee]

Just curious, Chicagogranny.. Do u use both together?

[ChicagoGranny]

Just curious, Chicagogranny.. Do u use both together?

We don't use our MADs at all. Wasted insurance money, wasted copays. But, some people have written on here that they use a MAD/mask combination regularly.