CPAP vs Auto

[Kaibyrd]

Is there anything I can do to get my doctor to agree to an auto machine?

My DME says right now my two choices are the Phillips Resperonics Dreamstation Pro CPAP or the Resmed Airsense 10 CPAP. I really want the Resmed Airsense 10 AutoSet for Her but just got word he won't change my prescription.

[Cannuck 1]

Ask your doctor that you will pay the difference so you could get the machine you want.(it might work.)
Cpap machine is still adjustable I believe between two pressures lower and upper ranges or one constant.
Auto just adjusts as needed, I have auto A10 but use it like a cpap because I do not want it in the high pressure ranges and I have gotten excellent results with no bad side effects, that's the beauty of autoset.

[Cardsfan]

#1- get a copy of your prescription. Have your Dr. Office email it to you or get a copy of it from the DME
#2- Find out from your insurance is a Auto is covered by that prescription, because an AUTO can run in cpap mode.
#3- Find a DME provider that will sell you what you want.

The thing you really need to work with is the Insurance Co to find out how to get it covered. My prescription says CPAP and I got an Auto thru my ins.

[Kaibyrd]

Thanks y'all! I just called my doc's office and let the nurse know I want a copy of my records for a second opinion because I see no reason in all the research I've done that I can't use an auto. We'll see if that has any results. I'll contact my other two doctors and see if they can help as well as my insurance.

[sc0ttt]

BTW, the C in CPAP means "continuous", not "constant".

What most folks and some vendors colloquially call APAP might be called Auto CPAP by others... same thing, don't get confused by the loose labels.
And at least one common machine includes the word AUTO in the name, but isn't what folks who want an APAP would be happy with.

So you have to do your homework on the specific machine you're offered and don't go by the way it sounds. Kaibyrd you have obviously done this.

[Wulfman...]

Is there anything I can do to get my doctor to agree to an auto machine?

My DME says right now my two choices are the Phillips Resperonics Dreamstation Pro CPAP or the Resmed Airsense 10 CPAP. I really want the Resmed Airsense 10 AutoSet for Her but just got word he won't change my prescription.

Are you in Canada? They're resistant to dispensing APAPs/Autos there.

But, if you're in the U.S. and have insurance coverage, the insurance pays by insurance code and the code is the very same for the lowest "brick" to the highest-end APAP machines.........E0601.
If you've paid insurance premiums, your insurance provider won't give a darn which machine you get, so get the APAP, because as was stated, they can run in straight pressure (CPAP) mode, too........and offer more options.

Do your homework on which machines are data-capable (virtually all APAPs are data-capable).
Stick to your guns and insist on the APAP, either through the doctor, DME or find another DME who will work with you.
There's actually nothing "wrong" with a data-capable straight pressure machine, but if your insurance is paying for it (and you have paid insurance premiums), get your money's worth.


Den

.

[Julie]

"Are you in Canada? They're resistant to dispensing APAPs/Autos there."

It may sometimes be harder in some places here, but I wouldn't blanket-statement quite so quickly. I didn't know one end of a machine, let alone auto from cpap, when I first started out, but was given a new auto and good explanation and that was 10 yrs ago.

Just saying .

[Sheriff Buford]

I told my doctor I wanted the comfort (of the lower pressures) that the autopap offers. That worked for me. Sheriff

[RogerSC]

For me, aside from having a sleep doctor that is very helpful and understanding and wants things to work for the long term, it was home titration. Never would have gotten titration done in the doctor's office, barely got enough sleep data just for analysis. When my apap was set up it was originally set at 4-10cm, according to my doctor's prescription. I've ended up at 11-15cm through a long progression of optimizing using sleep data. And yes, it is more comfortable and effective for me to have the pressure go up only when it needs to. Since you can use an apap as a cpap (but not the other way around *smile*), an apap is a good place to start. If you end up using it at a constant pressure, so be it.

[chunkyfrog]

I told my doctor that I was planning to work on losing weight; and since weight change can result in changing pressure;
I wanted to keep my pressure appropriate for my needs WITHOUT wasting money on unnecessary sleep studies.

[Kaibyrd]

BTW, the C in CPAP means "continuous", not "constant".

What most folks and some vendors colloquially call APAP might be called Auto CPAP by others... same thing, don't get confused by the loose labels.
And at least one common machine includes the word AUTO in the name, but isn't what folks who want an APAP would be happy with.

So you have to do your homework on the specific machine you're offered and don't go by the way it sounds. Kaibyrd you have obviously done this.

Thanks Scott, yeah I'm trying to learn all I can about the ones now offered and the one I want. They are newer models so I'm not finding a lot on them.

Do the machines I posted above that are CPAP have the ability to reduce pressure during exhaling? I know the APAP one does.

[Kaibyrd]

"Are you in Canada? They're resistant to dispensing APAPs/Autos there."

It may sometimes be harder in some places here, but I wouldn't blanket-statement quite so quickly. I didn't know one end of a machine, let alone auto from cpap, when I first started out, but was given a new auto and good explanation and that was 10 yrs ago.

Just saying .

No, I'm in the states, just below DC.

[Kaibyrd]

Is there anything I can do to get my doctor to agree to an auto machine?

My DME says right now my two choices are the Phillips Resperonics Dreamstation Pro CPAP or the Resmed Airsense 10 CPAP. I really want the Resmed Airsense 10 AutoSet for Her but just got word he won't change my prescription.

Are you in Canada? They're resistant to dispensing APAPs/Autos there.

But, if you're in the U.S. and have insurance coverage, the insurance pays by insurance code and the code is the very same for the lowest "brick" to the highest-end APAP machines.........E0601.
If you've paid insurance premiums, your insurance provider won't give a darn which machine you get, so get the APAP, because as was stated, they can run in straight pressure (CPAP) mode, too........and offer more options.

Do your homework on which machines are data-capable (virtually all APAPs are data-capable).
Stick to your guns and insist on the APAP, either through the doctor, DME or find another DME who will work with you.
There's actually nothing "wrong" with a data-capable straight pressure machine, but if your insurance is paying for it (and you have paid insurance premiums), get your money's worth.


Den

.

My thoughts exactly! I'm sticking to them.

[Kaibyrd]

I told my doctor I wanted the comfort (of the lower pressures) that the autopap offers. That worked for me. Sheriff

Yeah that's what I told the nurse the other day but she must not know much about these machines.

[Kaibyrd]

I called my DME to cancel my appointment with them on Tuesday since I planned to get a second opinion and she was very nice and understanding about why I wanted this machine. She said I had a right to get the machine since I was paying for it (through insurance) and maybe if the doctor was informed that I wanted to use this machine as my CPAP without the titration that he would change my 'script so she's having the rep who works with him get in touch and they'll call me when they know more. I think I may have lucked up on my DME.