Marketing versus facts

SleepFacts · Post by **SleepFacts** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:54 am

This is an awesome forum, and the moderator seems pleasant and insightful!

I have OSA, and was advised to use a CPAP by the Neurologist, M.D. who ran the sleep clinic. The insurer, in my case Tricare pays for the big noisy CPAP that scares my wife and children. I found another device that seems to work called Provent. It's FDA approved, but not yet listed by CMS with a HCPCS code, so insurors can't bill it.

I travel a good bit, so the CPAP is a real "bag drag", as I'm a commercial pilot.I also am a Naval reservist, subject to deployment, but neither the Navy nor Tricare will reimburse Provent. As I understand it, Tricare, Veterans Affairs, and the Pentagon are lobbied hard by the DME's to use the cumbersome CPAP,

Selling sleep products is big business, and the our government, FDA, or CMS doesn't have our backs. Neither do the Doc in the box physician owned sleep centers that charge Insurance, and Medicare for two tests and refer them to their favorite DME supplier for a years worth of filters, hoses, masks, and Cell phone monitoring service. The cost to Insurers is $3500.00 annually, as opposed to the same items available on Amazon.com for less than $500. The American Sleep Apnea Association, represents the DME suppliers, and ResMed and Phillips are their big donor advertisers, so they are not looking out for OSA patients.

But the world has changed since 1980 when CPAP's were first used. However, Associations like American Sleep Apnea Association cater to industry, NOT patients. DME's pay their salaries so the information they disburse is like paid advertising.

It's time for patients to start their own association! Any interest out there?

Cheers!

mars · Post by **mars** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:17 pm

SleepFacts wrote:Selling sleep products is big business, and the our government, FDA, or CMS doesn't have our backs. Neither do the Doc in the box physician owned sleep centers that charge Insurance, and Medicare for two tests and refer them to their favorite DME supplier for a years worth of filters, hoses, masks, and Cell phone monitoring service. The cost to Medicare is $3500.00 annually, as opposed to the same items available on Amazon.com for less than $500.

But the world has changed since 1980 when CPAP's were first used. However, Associations like American Sleep Apnea Association cater to industry, NOT patients. DME's pay their salaries so the information they disburse is like paid advertising.

It's time for patients to start their own association! Any interest out there?

Hi

I see that currently you have 70 views, and no responses. So I wondered about that.

My thoughts as to why -

Do you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea or not

Are you a cpap user or not

If neither, what is your interest.

In other words, who are you

My guess is that until the members of this Forum know more about you, and what your intentions are, then "no response" will be the norm.

Of course, you could just as easily be a spammer, and everyone else has wisely avoided replying, and I have foolishly responded.

Either way - never mind - a foolish post every now and then just helps keep me normal

But your post did lead me to some interesting research, and I thank you for that.

cheers

Mars

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:32 pm

Maybe he needs rockin mike to setup a mission statement?

jnk · Post by **jnk** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:39 pm

SleepFacts wrote:Re: Marketing versus facts

Odds right now are 4,271,946 to 1 for anyone thinking about putting money down on "facts."

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:42 pm

jnk wrote:
SleepFacts wrote:Re: Marketing versus facts
Odds right now are 4,271,946 to 1 for anyone thinking about putting money down on "facts."

NOT without a mission statement, lol.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:44 am

Gads! Talk about a suspicious pessimist!!!

As a commercial pilot - if you are one - its one hail of a lot easier for you to fly w/a PAP than passengers who have LIMITED overhead space to store their carryons.

Where in the devil do you come up w/the cost to insurers being $3500 annually as opposed to the same items available on Amazon.com for less than $500.???

mayondair · Post by **mayondair** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:06 am

You're a commercial pilot? As far as I know the FAA med certification standards don't recogognize those sorts of devices as being acceptable to maintain your presumably 1st class medical certification. Did you have a lab titration with it and a Maintenance of wakefulness test?

xenablue · Post by **xenablue** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 8:18 am

Question for OP - what airline do you fly for so I can avoid it until you get yourself sorted out with therapy?

Advisement - never trust a doctor who runs a sleep clinic - they're gonna have their own interests at heart - not necessarily yours.

If you have a '"big noisy CPAP" that scares your wife and children, then you were sold/given a brick - or are using it incorrectly.

We patients don't need our own association - that requires a committee - we are too busy with our lives and getting enough quality sleep. Besides - THIS is the best place IMHO for exchange of ideas, advice, support, expertise.

xenablue