Insurance only approved home sleep study - should I fight it

[jmsnyc]

I had a sleep study in 2006 but I did not follow up on treating my sleep apnea. I recently went to a sleep specialist physician who scheduled me to have another sleep study done. My current insurance company denied the sleep study at the center and wants me to do it in home. Do these home studies work - wondering if I should try to have my physician follow up with insurance and try to justify I need to have it done at a center.

[Janknitz]

Yes, the home studies work as long as your issue is basic obstructive sleep apnea. If your previous sleep study didn't flag anything unusual like Periodic Limb Movement Disorder or central apnea the home test should be fine.

IMHO, I'd much rather do a home test in my own bed and sleeping conditions. Home testing has been rigorously tested and approved by Medicare for diagnostic purposes. It really isn't worth fighting unless there's some indication that you have something other than "run of the mill" obstructive apnea.

[M'ohms]

I did a home study which qualified me for an in-lab titration. I would think that if this is the path you would take, then the titration study would uncover any other weird stuff that would go on during the night. Sleeping at home is definitely more comfortable than "sleeping" in the lab.

[rachelp]

I did a home study and was very relieved. I think I got a better reading at home than I would have in a lab. I would have had a hard time in a lab but was totally comfortable at home.

[SewTired]

I wouldn't fight it unless there is reason to believe you have heart or lung problems or a previous brain injury. If anything is concerning, they do the titration in the lab anyway.

[Cardsfan]

My sleep study was done at home, Dec 2014. I did it for 3 nights in a row. Turned the machine back into the Dr, My Primary care Dr, not a sleep specialist. Got the results back with a prescription for cpap with my pressure setting of 5.
Never did a titration. (Didn't know what a titration was back then)
Just recently, after 7 months, thought I should see a sleep specialist, just to be on the safe side. The specialist said my at home study was fine, and my pressure is set fine. The specialist told me at this point, he would not "put me through" an in lab sleep study.
So in my case, the at home sleep study was perfectly good.
By the way, I had to fight like a crazy lady to get my insurance to approve the at home test.

[ChicagoGranny]

I had a sleep study in 2006 but I did not follow up on treating my sleep apnea. I recently went to a sleep specialist physician who scheduled me to have another sleep study done. My current insurance company denied the sleep study at the center and wants me to do it in home. Do these home studies work - wondering if I should try to have my physician follow up with insurance and try to justify I need to have it done at a center.

Do you have, or do you suspect you have, any health problems in addition to sleep apnea? If so, what are they?

Home sleep studies are fine for diagnosing sleep apnea.

[chunkyfrog]

Pick your battles carefully.
In most cases, the type of study is secondary to several other things.
---getting a study-any study at all
---getting the right machine, full data, of course!
---getting the right MASK! Do not SETTLE for anything that hurts or does not fit!
Sometimes walking in with your eyes wide open can get you what you ask for --politely.