Finally removing the modem!

[eeckel]

I just passed the probation period with my insurance company! I had to demonstrate CPAP use 4 or more hours per night for 30 out of 30 days for three months before they would let me keep my machine without the modem monitor. I experienced this as pressure, lots of pressure. I am so relieved that I no longer have to worry about that piece of the adjustment to CPAP. I feel like I can now work on a genuine adjustment to CPAP. I hated the feeling of being watched. Why do the insurance companies make It so hard? Now I can concentrate on finding a comfortable mask.

[lorraineg57]

30 out of 30?

I'm going to be out of luck then. I've taken 2 or 3 nights off out of sheer frustration since I don't seem to sleep any better with it than without.

[Pugsy]

30 out of 30?

I'm going to be out of luck then. I've taken 2 or 3 nights off out of sheer frustration since I don't seem to sleep any better with it than without.

Not all insurance companies require 30 out of 30. Most are satisfied with what Medicare requires which is 70% of the nights within a certain time frame with greater than 4 hours of usage. Some companies don't require any proof of compliance at all.
You would need to check with your insurance and/or DME to see if you have any compliance requirements.
I don't remember if Medicare is 30 days with 70% greater than 4 hours or if it is a longer time frame.
30 out of 30 is extremely rigid and rare. This was the first time I had ever heard of such a strict requirement.

[ughwhatname]

I'm on Day 14, and I feel the pressure to perform a bit as well. I'm at 100% but had a scare when I awoke at 5:30 a.m. and realized I forgot to put the SD card back in the machine from downloading my data the night before. I put it in, went back to sleep, and since it was the weekend, I took a nap long enough (and before noon) to make up the difference and get above 4 hours. How ridiculous is that?

So far, I'm 14/14! Yeah! My follow up with my doctor in on Day 32, so hopefully, I'll be finished with the modem, and I hope the insurance company just buys out the machine without additional monthly rental. That would save me some bucks.

[Cpaprt]

Don't worry about the sd card. Your data is stored on the cpap and copied to card.

[lorraineg57]

I'm on Day 14, and I feel the pressure to perform a bit as well. I'm at 100% but had a scare when I awoke at 5:30 a.m. and realized I forgot to put the SD card back in the machine from downloading my data the night before. I put it in, went back to sleep, and since it was the weekend, I took a nap long enough (and before noon) to make up the difference and get above 4 hours. How ridiculous is that?

So far, I'm 14/14! Yeah! My follow up with my doctor in on Day 32, so hopefully, I'll be finished with the modem, and I hope the insurance company just buys out the machine without additional monthly rental. That would save me some bucks.

I've done that as well, didn't realize the card wasn't in the machine until the next morning.

[retrodave15]

I had the modem in my machine for 6 months. The funny part when the guy came out to the house, I had already pulled the modem and had it waiting. He dropped of the cover and a brand new data card. Now I have an extra card.

Actually it did not bother me to much. As I actually use my machine. I know people that have been ordered a CPAP, try one night and put it in the closet, or worse yet sell it on craigslist. If they are truly watching the data, they would call and find out why someone is not using the machine. My DME actually called me 3 times to check on me, make sure it was working for me, and a couple of times it was for things that they saw on the data. I started at 8 CM and one year later I am at 10.5 CM.

[ems]

30 out of 30?

I'm going to be out of luck then. I've taken 2 or 3 nights off out of sheer frustration since I don't seem to sleep any better with it than without.

Many of us found ourselves in a similar situation when we first started. If your insurance company has a prob with your hours of use, your doctor could write a letter of explanation. My doctor did (I think)... never heard anything about it.

[lorraineg57]

30 out of 30?

I'm going to be out of luck then. I've taken 2 or 3 nights off out of sheer frustration since I don't seem to sleep any better with it than without.

Many of us found ourselves in a similar situation when we first started. If your insurance company has a prob with your hours of use, your doctor could write a letter of explanation. My doctor did (I think)... never heard anything about it.

Thanks, I'll remember that.

[eeckel]

lorraineg57 wrote:
30 out of 30?

I'm going to be out of luck then. I've taken 2 or 3 nights off out of sheer frustration since I don't seem to sleep any better with it than without.

Hang in there. While I was going through stress to get my 30 out of 30 I did a lot of lurking here. It really helped to read other peoples' stories.

[eeckel]

I spoke to my DME on friday about a mask request. I mentioned to her that people on this forum thought that 4 hours a night for 30 out of 30 days was unusually rigorous criteria to keep a machine after a probationary period. Her response was that she exaggerates expectations to "motivate" people new to CPAP. I feel so manipulated! Angry about the unnecessary stress she created. But I didn't let it show because I have to work with her for my CPAP supplies. But wow, I am pist!

[ughwhatname]

My DME said 30 days of 4+ hours, 70% of the time, so not too rigorous. I'm on day 17, with 100% compliance thus far. 70% of 30 days would be 21 days, so I'm nearly there, though I don't intend to stop at day 22! I'm just hoping that I can limit the rental to save some bucks on that.

I spoke to my DME on friday about a mask request. I mentioned to her that people on this forum thought that 4 hours a night for 30 out of 30 days was unusually rigorous criteria to keep a machine after a probationary period. Her response was that she exaggerates expectations to "motivate" people new to CPAP. I feel so manipulated! Angry about the unnecessary stress she created. But I didn't let it show because I have to work with her for my CPAP supplies. But wow, I am pist!

[SleepDepraved2]

I was glad to get rid of my modem too. I turned it in when I exchanged my S9 VPAP for my S9 Autoset.

My insurance required 70% compliance of at least 4 hours per night for the last 30 days of the 90-day probation period. So basically, they figure the first couple of months, you may not be as compliant because you are getting accustomed to the machine, but by the third month you should be using it 70% of the nights for at least 4 hours. I was 100% compliant for 3 months, all of the nights past the first one have been at least 4 hours, usually 6 or 7 or more.

[ughwhatname]

Wow, it sounds as if all the DME's interpret the rules differently. Mine said I have 90 days in which to produce 30 days of use at 70% compliance. I wonder if they even know the rule?

Darn it if I didn't forget to put my SD card back in from downloading yesterday! Shucks. And I used it for 9.3 hours! Guess that's show as in my 30% non-compliance.

I was glad to get rid of my modem too. I turned it in when I exchanged my S9 VPAP for my S9 Autoset.

My insurance required 70% compliance of at least 4 hours per night for the last 30 days of the 90-day probation period. So basically, they figure the first couple of months, you may not be as compliant because you are getting accustomed to the machine, but by the third month you should be using it 70% of the nights for at least 4 hours. I was 100% compliant for 3 months, all of the nights past the first one have been at least 4 hours, usually 6 or 7 or more.

[Pugsy]

Darn it if I didn't forget to put my SD card back in from downloading yesterday! Shucks. And I used it for 9.3 hours! Guess that's show as in my 30% non-compliance.

Actually you haven't lost any hours. Your machine will store the necessary usage information to satisfy compliance requirements on its internal memory. It will write it to the SD card when you insert it. You lose some detailed data but not the summary usage data that is needed to prove hours of use.
You could leave the card out for a week and not lose hours of use.
It is the hi definition detailed data that is not stored on the internal memory of the machine that you lose if you don't have a SD card in the machine. So the graphs...are lost.