Oximeter

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:39 am

linda b wrote:Have any of you had insurance cover an oximeter? What did you have to do to get it covered?

As far as I know, an oximeter is NOT "standard equipment" for apnea treatment(although it SHOULD be), so you are on your own.

BUT, if you just want to spot check a night or two, most sleep docs have a deal worked with a DME so you can get a FREE LOANER for a night or two. Of course you are not actually allowed to see the results, which are filtered through the doctor and given out at an office visit.

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:58 am

snork1 wrote:Of course you are not actually allowed to see the results, which are filtered through the doctor and given out at an office visit.

If the result becomes part of your medical record, you are entitled to a copy of that. It's the law (in the USA). And they can only charge "reasonable' costs for duplication (typically 25¢ per page). And they must provide it within a "reasonable" timeframe (typically 5-10 days).

-Ric

(there's MY 25¢ worth).

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:21 am

Ric wrote: And they can only charge "reasonable' costs for duplication (typically 25¢ per page). And they must provide it within a "reasonable" timeframe (typically 5-10 days).

Last time I asked for copies of my medical records, it was $1.00 a page.

Regards,
Bill

jeepdoctor · Post by **jeepdoctor** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:40 am

When a document becomes a part of your medical records it is fair game for any insurance company you apply to for coverage. If for instance, you want to buy long term care, life or health insurance, the potential insurer will suck everything out of your medical records and put it in a national data base. Perhaps this is another reason for running your own oximetry?

I was turned down for long term care insurance because the doctor's file contained a note that my wife said I stopped breathing at night. And the notation in the file that I was scheduled for a PSG. Those two things put the application on hold. The PSG was faxed to the insurer and the the insurer said "no thanks." AHI was 12. Max desat was 68% for 12 seconds. 80 to 70% desat was 24 seconds. This turn-down made me really furious about the annuity I purchased with the same insurance co about 3 months prior.

jeepdoctor · Post by **jeepdoctor** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:41 pm

Two of us are splitting the cost, so we aren't too worried about $ 200 and change.

nosbig-nosbig · Post by **nosbig-nosbig** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:54 pm

In my opinion, maintaining persons oxygen saturation level is probably the most important aspect of our therapy. If our vital organs go starving for oxygen when we sleep it's not a good thing, and probably leads to all sorts of problems that are not usually associated with OSA. That is why I selected a rig which included pulse-oximetry capability.

GoofyUT · Post by **GoofyUT** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:22 pm

Most of the saymptoms of OSA are, in fact, related to oxygen deprivation and its sequellae, so I couldn't agree more.

You mention that your "rig" includes the capability to integrate oximetry data. Though I agree (and am envious) that resLink does allow for integration of an oxximetry probe, I wasn't aware that resLink worked with the S8 series. Your profile indicates an AutoSet "Advantage". I know that there was an Australian ResMed machine called the Advantage. However, are you using the S8 AutoSet Vantage?? If so, has ResMed come out with a Reslink module that fits the S8? I thought the Reslink mated with the DB25 on the S7 shell, not on the S8 which lacks the DB25.

Thanks for your help!

Chuck

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Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:35 pm

Chuck, the Australian web site for the Resmed Vantage, which has a different name, but is the same device, states that it is Reslink ready. This leads me to believe that the Vantage will eventually have this capability as an add-on, although it has not been announced yet.

GoofyUT · Post by **GoofyUT** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:05 pm

Well Paul, I believe that the form factor of the current Reslink as well as the lack of the DB25 makes it incompatioble with the S8 range. I looked into this pretty closely before I made the decision to purchase a Nellcor N-395, since I was VERY curious about the clinical impacts of the MANY hypops that my S8 was scoring, in terms of desats (or not). But, all I could find on both the AU and the US ResMed sites was that it was compatible with the AutoSet Spirit and NOT the S8 range. The new AutoSet CS2 also boasts compatibility with Reslink, but it has the S7 form factor.

Anyhow, I've got my Nellcor now, but if I knew that there would be an S8-compatible Reslink, I would have invested in it.

Thanks Paul!

Chuck

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:38 pm

Chuck,

Look at the description under professional benefits:

http://resmed.com.au/portal/site/ResMed ... nPNum=null

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:09 pm

Hello again Chuck,

I was just reading my S8 Autoset Vantage Clinician manual and it turns out there is a serial adapter capability that replaces the USB adapter on the back. It is explained on pages 43-44 of that manual. It is an optional accessory which replaces the included USB adapter.

Machine

Machine

Machine

Oximeter

Oxygen deprivation

Reslink