Please help with converting settings from Dreamstation to Aircurve

[boxofrain]

Hello to all of you in CPAP land! Working hard at this and I have been getting my absolute best results now on my Dreamstation at the following settings: Auto CPAP Min 8.5 Max 13.0 with A-Flex level of 3. I now have a backup unit which is a Resmed Aircurve 10 Bi-level. I do not think I require bi-level but I was able to pick it up locally and will use as a spare. Can one of you experts let me know the settings of this bi-level machine that would as closely as possible mimic my Dreamstation settings? I do believe the A-Flex is working very well for me! Thanks so much!

[Dog Slobber]

What AirCurve 10 do you have? There are various models, and only the VAuto can really be used as a replacement for an APAP machine.

Assuming you have the VAuto, if you want a similar experience the settings should be:

Min EPAP: 6.4
Max IPAP: 13
PS: 2

The above is based on ResMed pressure adjustment granularity being 0.2 and Respironics is 0.5, and Respironics A-flex setting of 3 gives a maximum pressure from of approximately 2 CM.

Having said that, by configuring it as closely to your DreamStation you're not really taking advantage of extra features of the AirCurve.

When I moved from an APAP to AirCurve (based on Pugsy's advice), I took advantage of the BiLevel's increased Pressure Support and set it to 4, which I now love.

You are also artificially capping your machine's ability to deliver pressure, should it need to, by setting a max of 13. Now there might be a reason, but if there is, you haven't shared it.

Perhaps make the above changes, consider increasing your PS to 3 or 4, and post some graphs for dialing-it-in further.

[boxofrain]

Thanks Dog! Yes it’s the VAuto! This is exactly what I wanted to know as it’s a great starting point because I know those pressures work. I will also tweak from there. Greatly appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Miss Emerita]

Ditto everything DS wrote. Just to be clear: your "backup" machine should be your main machine. You really lucked out!

[boxofrain]

I know right? I think I just have about one more month to go to satisfy my requirements on the Philips through Medicare. I think after the three month point they don’t care what I do basically LOL. But quite honestly, the dreamstation has been working very well for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pugsy]

Medicare requirements to meet criteria for them to pay for a machine.

70% of 30 consecutive nights with 4 hour or more of usage. You have 90 days to have 30 consecutive days. You have probably already met this requirement because it's essentially 21 nights out of 30. They probably told you 90 days but it is actually you have 90 days to meet the 30 day requirement.

And a face to face meeting prior to the 91st day of starting cpap with your doctor saying cpap is working. I would assume in the covid age that a tele visit would also count.

Side note...Medicare doesn't care what the settings are or if you change anything or not. They only care about your using the machine the required number of hours so they don't wast their money.

[boxofrain]

Oh wow Pugsy, if that is the case then yes I am done. Are you 100% sure? What kind of question is that? I am sure that you are sure LOL. I absolutely have those numbers of days already! Thank you so much for this advice! Now I am free to use any machine I like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pugsy]

Absolutely 100 % positive that is the criteria.
Medicare gives the 90 days to meet the 30 day criteria because they know it takes a while for people to learn to sleep with the machine.

Medicare pays by HCPCS billing code...not brand and not model. All cpap/apap machines are considered single pressure machines and fall under the E0601 billing code. Any brand...cpap only or apap capable....data or no data...all go under that one code.

So yes you can request any machine that falls within that HCPCS billing code....now getting the DME to dispense it might be the hard part.
They typically want to supply the cheapest machine so that they can make the most money since Medicare pays the same amount of dollars no matter what brand or model.
Tell the DME what you want and be exact about it and if they balk tell them you will take your business elsewhere...or get your doctor to write brand and model specifically on the order and "dispense as written" checked or stated.

Don't forget the face to face thing either. It must be done prior to the 91st day after starting cpap.