jauguston
Bellingham, WA
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Joined: 07/03/2005
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You may find if Medicare is paying for your C-PAP and consumable parts some equipment suppliers will call you and try to talk you into reordering everything that Medicare will pay for. First time I being new to this said sure so I went out and picked up the bag of stuff. There was all new stuff. Mask,(Swift FX) hose, nasal cushions filters,etc. When I got home in the bag was a copy of the invoice to Medicare. It was over $1000.00! I went back and questioned them and they said the prices were set by the government and that is what they charge. I looked at cpap.com on line and could have gotten it all for less than $150.00. With what I got I am set for at least 5 years if not more. They still call and I tell them I don't need anything.
Jim
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mobeewan
Hampton, Va
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Joined: 01/03/2007
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I was told by the DMEP when I originally got my CPAP that my insurance allowed 4 masks per year. They have lied to me so much I checked with the insurance when I needed my third mask and they said they didn't know if the insurance would pay for it. I call the insurance and found out there is no limit and replacement was allowed as often as medically necessary. The 4 times a year may be a medicare requirement. I have been using a CPAP for about 19 months now and only have my 3rd mask so far.
Actually instead of an entire mask right now all I need is the silicon face liner and its support piece for the mask which I can find on line for $50. However, they only want to supply me the complete mask with head gear for $180 charge to the insurance and will not order just the liner and support piece.
It won't cost me any extra to get a complete mask through the insurance vs paying out of pocket to buy the liner myself on line, but it is rediculous to provide a complete mask when you only need a part. No wonder insurance costs are getting so high.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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mobeewan wrote:I was told by the DMEP when I originally got my CPAP that my insurance allowed 4 masks per year. They have lied to me so much I checked with the insurance when I needed my third mask and they said they didn't know if the insurance would pay for it. I call the insurance and found out there is no limit and replacement was allowed as often as medically necessary. The 4 times a year may be a medicare requirement. I have been using a CPAP for about 19 months now and only have my 3rd mask so far.
Actually instead of an entire mask right now all I need is the silicon face liner and its support piece for the mask which I can find on line for $50. However, they only want to supply me the complete mask with head gear for $180 charge to the insurance and will not order just the liner and support piece.
It won't cost me any extra to get a complete mask through the insurance vs paying out of pocket to buy the liner myself on line, but it is rediculous to provide a complete mask when you only need a part. No wonder insurance costs are getting so high.
2x
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Pirate
East Of The Mississippi
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Joined: 05/20/2002
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Lots of good advice here on a wide range of topics, but regarding your specific question, yes and no is the answer. No, IF you are actively following your own results. No, IF you check your blood ox level perhaps monthly or quarterly. Yes, if you are clueless about what CPAP is doing for you and you rely on your doctor to pick your machine and set the pressure settings.
I ended up with CPAP because I was desatting to the 70's at night. Now I can wear a pulse ox meter all night, which I do probably quarterly, to see what my level is. Now I don't go below 92% with an AHI of around 2.
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Lakejumper
Northern California
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Joined: 09/11/2004
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Auguston is correct. I recommend that you have the memory card read to see how effective your therapy settings are. Also, check for leaks with your mask. CPAPtalk.com is a great website to become better informed and get support. Many of the posters know more than the respiratory therapists because they have such a passion for the topic. One of the goals of CPAP is to keep your AHI down below 5 as well as maintaining other measurements like REM, o2 saturation, periodic breathing, etc. I'm sure that the other posters were just trying to be funny, but remembering dreams or a spouse's observations won't tell you what is happening when you are sleeping. Using a CPAP and monitoring it's effectiveness is like watching your blood sugar if you are a diabetic. You or a professional should periodically monitor the data it provides. Lastly, weight gain or loss won't necessarily increase or decrease sleep apnea's effects. A friend of mine has lost over 30lbs. And she just increased her pressure. Sorry this is a long post.
* This post was
edited 02/11/12 11:48pm by Lakejumper *
Lakejumper
2007 Cardinal 30WBLE
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sbishop
Eagle Rock, CA
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Joined: 08/09/2001
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I don't know how often it is necessary to have the setting on your machine evaluated but my wife and I have read that the masks should be changed three times a year. My HMO has special CPAP machines that you use for a night and they pull the results off the memory card and if necessary they can change the card in your machine.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson
David Bishop
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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Actual performance does need to be monitored from time to time.
The last CPAP I got had been set up for automatic restart I learned one night when I put it on and realized I forgot to start the machine before I layed down. I fell asleep before I could turn it on but later woke and it was running. Nice feature when the power blinks durning the night.
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