The patient clearly has sleep apnea, but it’s not severe enough for the insurance company to cover therapy. Why? Unfortunately, there are varying opinions about how sleep apnea is diagnosed and when CPAP is the appropriate therapy. Primarily, the difference is between how Medicare (CMS) and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) define a diagnosis … Read More »
A study published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine tested the effects of CPAP therapy on heart disease. Positive Airway Pressure devices, called PAP, deliver pressurized ambient air through a delivery system (tubing and mask), to eliminate apnea events during sleep. PAP, including CPAP, BIPAP, Auto-PAP, and ASV-PAP, is the most effective treatment for … Read More »
Do you have a new PAP machine and no longer need your old machine? Do you have an extra mask or tubing for your old machine that you never used? Would you like to donate your unused or gently used equipment? Chances are, if you’ve been using PAP therapy for more than a couple of years, … Read More »
A study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined the unauthorized sales by private individuals of secondhand CPAP devices. While most health insurance plans cover CPAP (learn more here about coverage for these devices), the average cost of a device for those without insurance or with a high deductible … Read More »
Can weight loss cure sleep apnea? There are clear connections between sleep apnea and other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease that are improved with weight loss. How does weight loss affect sleep apnea? While studies have shown that losing weight decreases the severity of this sleep disorder, its may not completely eliminate the need for CPAP.
CPAP is the only treatment that is 100% effective for treating obstructive sleep apnea, but a lot of patients struggle with using the device properly and using it every night. CPAP works by blowing air into the air way to keep the airway from closing at night (this closure is called an apnea, learn more … Read More »
In this guest post, Dr. Eric Kezirian answers your questions about upper airway stimulation therapy with the Inspire device. Positive airway pressure therapy (whether CPAP, BPAP, APAP, or another form) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (see the image of an obstructed airway to the right). However, some patients cannot tolerate or sleep comfortably … Read More »
While CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy is the gold-standard therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, we know that it isn’t easy. Barriers to compliance with CPAP therapy include the discomfort of sleeping while wearing a mask, having air blown through your airway all night, the inconvenience of traveling with a CPAP machine and the cost of the … Read More »
1. You don’t have health insurance. This is a no-brainer. If you don’t have health insurance, but have sleep apnea, you will need to pay cash for your machine and supplies. If you’re having a hard time making ends meet, check out the organizations listed in this post that offer free or low-cost CPAP and … Read More »
Like iPhones, CPAP machines have changed a lot over the past few years. The latest models are even starting to look like Apple devices. These changes in the form and function of CPAPs serve very important purposes. (1) If a CPAP machine is more attractive and user-friendly, someone diagnosed with sleep apnea is more likely … Read More »
