My 2 Cents

[Mac136]

I was diagnosed back in September 2021 with moderate OSA. 23 AHI. I purchased an Airmini while I waited on my AS11 to arrive. It finally came in late December. I was knowledgeable and compliant by then. What I have learned;

My insurance company only cares about compliance on the AS11 and could give a rats behind on my therapy.
My DME could give a rats behind on my therapy as long as I am compliant and my insurance orders through them to replenish supplies.
Unless there is a major red flag in my AHI, the doctor could give a rats behind on my therapy as long as I am compliant and keep making appointments.

Are you beginning to see a pattern?

I can't speak for all insurance companies, DME's or all doctors but I can and will say that no one looks out for you like you, this site, the lanky guy, Uncle Nico, and the countless videos out there. All are godsends to us trying to figure out this disease and all need to be congratulated (including those of us trying to put up with this crap).

So find the correct pressure, the correct mask, and by all means, the right support and do not depend on doctors or DME's to fix this.

[ChicagoGranny]

So find the correct pressure, the correct mask, and by all means, the right support and do not depend on doctors or DME's to fix this.

Yep, and that's a good thing. Very few could afford to pay medical professionals for the hours it sometimes takes to get a good CPAP process.

[palerider]

My insurance company only cares about compliance on the AS11 and could give a rats behind on my therapy.
My DME could give a rats behind on my therapy as long as I am compliant and my insurance orders through them to replenish supplies.
Unless there is a major red flag in my AHI, the doctor could give a rats behind on my therapy as long as I am compliant and keep making appointments.

You've nicely summarized part of my problem with 'the establishment'.

[zonker]

So find the correct pressure, the correct mask, and by all means, the right support and do not depend on doctors or DME's to fix this.

you are speaking to the choir.

and welcome!

[chunkyfrog]

Some are just rats in white coats.

[CPAP2017]

I wonder if part of this experience is because many people on CPAP are there only due to employment requirements. I was as I was in the transportation field overseen by the DOT. At the time I was glad to get help, but I admit my big emphasis in the process was make sure all the T's were crossed in order to keep my job. Once you're tagged with OSA, it gets black and white on compliance in percent nights used, average hours per night, etc, in order to maintain employment. And when I presented to medical people with this, they were as happy to sign me off as compliant as I was happy to get signed off. But that was it. I am convinced that had my job not depended on it I would not have kept up with it. It is just unnatural to put the creature from Alien on your face at night at try to sleep. But I had to keep up the data stream up so I pushed through. I realized over time how much it was helping me. I got used to the mask, it became part of my nesting routine at night, and when I stopped working within the DOT rules a couple of years ago, I kept using it because it helps me so much. My point is that many of the medical people we deal with may just have gotten used to verifying compliance and not accustomed to probing deeper.

[ChicagoGranny]

My point is that many of the medical people we deal with may just have gotten used to verifying compliance and not accustomed to probing deeper.

Why do so many people, including long-time active members, not understand:

1. Medical professionals don't have time to hold your hand through the process.
2. And anyway, you can't afford them for hours of their help

??

[zonker]

My point is that many of the medical people we deal with may just have gotten used to verifying compliance and not accustomed to probing deeper.

Why do so many people, including long-time active members, not understand:

1. Medical professionals don't have time to hold your hand through the process.
2. And anyway, you can't afford them for hours of their help

??

the answer to number one is-television.

and maybe the answer to number two is the mistaken belief that medicare pays for everything?

[ChicagoGranny]

Then, the answer to #3 is social media.

[zonker]

Then, the answer to #3 is social media.

m'am?

i was told there'd be no math?

[ChicagoGranny]

Nothing that can't be done on an abacus.

[randye80]

To paraphrase Will Rogers, we're lucky we don't get all the health care we pay for.

[Janknitz]

I had a high school classmate who decided to go to medical school to be a radiologist. His thought was that he wouldn't have to "touch" patients, just rake in the dough. I think sleep medicine is another specialty that attracts doctors who don't want much contact with the patients, just the money. There are some good ones out there who genuinely care about the efficacy of treatment, but they may not last long financially.

Don't mistake me for a Kaiser cheerleader, but in a way, that model really works for sleep apnea. I never saw a sleep medicine doctor, but the sleep techs are really well trained and dedicated, and they really worked hard to see that I got on CPAP (they wouldn't let me leave without one after seeing my test results) and was able to use it comfortably. They weren't constrained by reimbursement concerns back then, and even recognized that well-treated sleep apnea saves the organization money in the long run.

It's different now though.