Does inusrance compensate for sleepless nights

[baprater]

I have a ton of questions to ask with the empending CPAP fitting coming up. I was told by my dr. that insurance will only pay their part if you wear the cpap nightly and for a certain amount of time. Here is my problem. It is now the beginning of tornado season. My husband works nights so me and my daughters dont sleep well if we know a storm is brewing. We dont have a safe place so we pile in the car as soon as a "Tornado Watch" siren goes off and head to the community tornado shelter. Some nights we have slept in the car the entire night went home got dressed for school and went on with our day. Last year we averaged 3 nights a week for about a month at the tornado shelter for at least part of the night. I am worried that the insurance will look at the amount of usage time and say that I am not devoted to using the machine!

[greatunclebill]

don't look for problems before they come. use your machine every night and document the nights you don't use it and why. keep a daily journal with notes.

[chunkyfrog]

You would need to check with your insurance company--directly.
You may need to pack the machine when a tornado watch is announced--and take it with you when a warning is issued.
Plug it in and wear it for the required 4 hours--even if you are awake. Nasal pillows might work for this.
Above all, don't use bad weather as an excuse to skip therapy.

[baprater]

I dont plan on using this as an excuse I just dont want to end up with a bill over a misunderstanding. To me being prepared is a good thing! Knowing what to expect is usually the best option not "oh, I will deal with it after it happens". How do you plug one in, do they make car chargers? At the tornado shelter we sleep in our car (it is an underground garage).

[nanwilson]

In the event I get stuck in a powere outage, I have a back up battery system that I can use. I also use it while camping without powee. Just do a search on battery back up. Whichever machine you get do a search to find out what you need for a battery back up, some folks can run their machines off of their car batteries....it all depends on which cpap machine you have as to which system you can use......we do not sleep without our cpaps EVER.

[LSAT]

I think the usual requirement is averaging 4 hours per night for 30 days. You will need the machine to show 120+ hours at the end of 30 days.

[archangle]

I have a ton of questions to ask with the empending CPAP fitting coming up. I was told by my dr. that insurance will only pay their part if you wear the cpap nightly and for a certain amount of time. Here is my problem. It is now the beginning of tornado season. My husband works nights so me and my daughters dont sleep well if we know a storm is brewing. We dont have a safe place so we pile in the car as soon as a "Tornado Watch" siren goes off and head to the community tornado shelter. Some nights we have slept in the car the entire night went home got dressed for school and went on with our day. Last year we averaged 3 nights a week for about a month at the tornado shelter for at least part of the night. I am worried that the insurance will look at the amount of usage time and say that I am not devoted to using the machine!

Please look at the link in my signature line below and fill in your equipment profile. We can then help you figure out a power solution.

Unless there's an actual Tornado Warning, not just a Tornado watch, the risk of driving to the shelter is probably more than the risk of staying at home. Car accidents, especially in a storm, driving into a flood, crime, etc. Be sure to know the difference between a watch and a warning. Get a weather radio.

We tend to be terrified by tornadoes, but there area an average of under 100 tornado deaths per year in the US. Unfortunately, 2011 was way above average.

What's your home situation like? House, apartment, basement, etc.? How far to the shelter? What part of the country?

The requirement is usually 4 hours a night for 70% of the nights in a 30 day period. Some insurance policies may vary.

[RocketGirl]

Here are a couple of options if you must spend that many nights in the tornado shelter (and I'm not going to second-guess you on whether you need to do that. We each do what we must do to keep our kids safe, and if for you, that means getting to the shelter, then that's what you need to do):

1. If it is an underground parking garage, scout around and find out where the power points are. There have to be some, to run various kinds of equipment. Then make sure to park near one, and have with you both your machine and a long, heavy-duty extension cord. Plug in, mask up, and sleep. (Have a conversation ahead of time with whatever authority runs the shelter if you think you'll be questioned about doing this, and have a copy of your prescription/certificate of medical necessity with you as proof.)

2. Invest in a power inverter (something like this one) to keep in your car. They are not expensive, and can run your machine and can keep your phone charged besides. I have kept one in my car for decades and it has been a genuine life saver on occasion.

[chunkyfrog]

If you fill in your equipment, some one here may be able to advise you on dc power options.
You also may be able to get near an outlet if you explain your situation to the emergency management people, the Red Cross, etc.
Get your documents for them In detail--prescription, sleep study, letter of medical necessity from your doctor.

[Guest]

My home is less than 10 min to the shelter. Since my husband works nights and I have two young girls I feel safer the minute they announce watch to go ahead and go on otherwise me and my scared to death girls pace the floor and dont relax. Sorry but we get very nervous when there are storms!! Severe thunderstorms even excite us! I dont have my equipment yet as I havent had my appt. with the dmc company yet. Thanks for all of you all answering my questions - never would have thought of bringing a power cord - duh

[archangle]

Always remove the water tank before moving the machine. Otherwise water may spill back into the machine and ruin it.

[squid13]

When you have a warning that means one is on the ground at least that is the way it's explained to us down here. That means find a safe place in the house or get your butt moving to a shelter and I don't think you'll have time to tear down and pack your CPAP gear, at least I wouldn't.It was said to keep a journal and that is probably what I'd do.

[archangle]

When you have a warning that means one is on the ground at least that is the way it's explained to us down here. That means find a safe place in the house or get your butt moving to a shelter and I don't think you'll have time to tear down and pack your CPAP gear, at least I wouldn't.It was said to keep a journal and that is probably what I'd do.

Tornado warnings mean the national weather service seen indications of a possible tornado, usually on Doppler radar. Per the national weather service, "Radar or satellite indication and/or reliable spotter reports of a tornado." It usually means certain shapes on Doppler radar, indications of rotation, some warnings generated by the software, plus the forecaster's opinion based on a bunch of other data. Only a small percent of tornado warnings involve actual visual sightings.

Probably less than 1 in 10 tornado warnings are followed by a tornado that actually touches the ground. A tornado warning usually covers a fairly large area, quite a few miles wide and long, while the actual damage path is usually considerably smaller. The warnings usually specify a path and expected arrival times. Listen to the warnings or look them up on the internet, and figure out whether it's time to hide where you are, or to go to the shelter.

Do plan what you're going to do. Even if you are planning to go to the shelter, figure out the best place to hide where you are if you don't have time to get to the shelter. If the weather is already upon you, consider whether it's safer to go to the shelter than to stay where you are.

I presume if you're sleeping in the car, you have a strong building to go into if the weather gets bad. A car is no place to be if there's wind, hail, or a tornado.

[jmcanzo]

When looking at new machines check out the Devilbis Intellipap Auto. It can run DIRECTLY on 12v from your cars 12v port. The Humidifier will not be heated but will provide passover humidification. Also the Intellipap is a nice small and compact unit, designed to travel and comes with a very nice travel case.

[NightMonkey]

risk of driving to the shelter is probably more than the risk of staying at home.

Absolutely. It doesn't matter where you live the risk of being injured by a tornado is very near zero.

Sorry but we get very nervous when there are storms!! Severe thunderstorms even excite us!

Are you aware that sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation and excess cortisol levels both of which often lead to anxiety? CPAP will treat this condition and hopefully you begin to take a much more reasonable approach to tornado season.