The Ugly Truth about Roehls cpap testing.

Yep -- I plan to have an appointment with my sleep clinic to get that certified before I apply to RDTC/Roehl. It does indeed have a smart card, which I monitor myself (I also purchased the software to do that when I bought the CPAP machine) just to ensure all is working as it should.

I was told by a neighbor of mine that when Roehl was starting up, they received some seed capital/investment from a number of MD's in the Marshfield area and that some of those MD's continue to advise Roehl on a number of medical-related trends such as the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea. Roehl seems like they're ahead of the curve on a number of these trends (heart monitoring during pre-employment physical testing is another that stood out to me) and that MD relationship as investors in the company could explain why.

 

I still have to get second opinion. I planned on talking to my doc when I was home last but seeing as I got home the day before thanksgiving and left that Sunday didn't happen.

 

When i started with Roehl i had the test. I was 295 lbs at 5' 11" with 17.5 inch neck. Test came back that i didnt have it. I guess it is a good starting point for the company and as a driver it is up to you to verify their findings.

 

Still BS I feel in my case. I needed having to get machine since I haven't got time for second opinion. But they have it turned down so far it's barely on, and the lady said she could turn down more if I wanted.

 

Roehl paid for my sleep apnea test, which was good. But the test showed I had sleep apnea. Then Roehl pushed I HAD to have a cpap machine and they would basically finance through payroll deduction. Thier supplier was Sleep Service Center, well Sleep Service Center is not a preferred carrier of company health care, so I ended up paying for full cost of cpap machine. If Roehl had used a provider recomended by UHC insurance would have paid aportion of bill.
Why would a company direct their own employee's this way? Follow the money trail.
Any current employee go through UHC for all health equipment. I think they use Apria, but call UHC to confirm. Hope my learning process helps someone else.
(I paid for cpap machine from Sleep Service Center on my own. When there was a billing problem, Roehl was about to put me on no=dispatch. I got it straighten out, but why did Roehl get involved in a financial situation that didn't involve them. )

 

My fiance will be attending orientation soon and has already been told that he will need to go through the sleep apnea testing... Ugh. I do kind of think he has it. I am hoping that if the test does come back positive that he will just purchase the CPAP machine with the payment plan and successfully go through orientation and start working.

 

Well, I am very new to trucking. The OP sounds like he has an ax to grind. Roehl has been upfront with me from the start about sleep apnea testing. I did not have to have it. Sleep apnea is not a joke. It is a real condition. I applaud any or these companies and Roehl for requiring it even before the government mandates it. I don't want to be on the road with a driver in an 80,000 lb truck that is falling asleep. I used to work with a guy that constantly denied sleep apnea. One day a group of us standing in the kitchen witnessed him talking, then he fell asleep mid sentence, then he hit the floor and bounced back up and said he was fine. A couple of days latter, he fell asleep driving the ambulance. His partner yelled at him. He was required to go get a test before he could return to work. Most people don't even realize how tired they are until after they have been on the machine for a couple of weeks. Then it changes their life for the better. The OP resisted from the start. He clearly says that even though he was told to get the test, he drug his feet doing it. Once he got the test, he did not like the result. So, he waited as long as he possibly could to get a second opinion when the company hounded him about it. I am sorry but Roehl did not seem to be the problem to me.

Do you really think Roehl gets money back for a CPAP machine? Do you really think they would risk a multi million dollar company for a medical scheme that they make a few hundred bucks on? Really?

 

People, People! Quit complaining about the Sleep Apnea testing! It's a fact of life if you want to drive for any of the mega carriers. The insurance companies are pushing the fact and the Government is going to make it a law. So get over it!

I was tested and I knew I had the problem, yet I was in denial. When tested it showed that I had as high as 70 episodes of apnea in one nights sleep. Sine going on the CPAP I feel much ,more alert throughout the day. It did take me a while to get accustomed to wearing that mask at night, like all things new, I did get used to it.

I was offered a sleep study through my previous employers insurance program. The cost was quoted to me as $2500. of which insurance would cover 80%. The sleep study with Roehl didn't cost me a dime. The CPAP through my previous insurance was quoted to me as another $2500. which insurance would have covered 80%. Do the math, I actually came out ahead with Roehl.

The bottom line is this. If you have Sleep Apnea; 1) you have a high risk of dying in your sleep. 2) You are at risk of falling asleep at the wheel at any time. 3) The insurance companies will deny your physical if you do not participate. 4) Sooner than later the Government is going to make it a mandatory DOT regulation.

SO, my advise as a user (needed) of the CPAP. If they say you need one, you probably do! Just do it!

 

You didn't read the thread did you?

I assume you missed the entire portion where he went and got a second sleep study done which was much more thorough and said he was well below the threshold of being diagnosed with sleep apnea? Why should he, "Just do it." and spend $1300 on a machine that he doesn't need.

No one is saying that Sleep apnea isn't deadly, we all know it can be. No one who actually has it is complaining about buying the CPAP device. He is saying he would highly recommend getting a second opinion if the doctors Roehl sends their drivers to says that you have a little bit of something, you need the machine. I'm sure if the doctor had come back to him and said, "yeah, you're having 5+ episodes a night. You need a CPAP." That he wouldn't be here warning other drivers of the injustice he has been served.

 

Yep, I've said several times I don't deny it's a serious issue, but the sleep companies are taking advantage and doing a money grab while they scare the heck out of people and basically extort drivers.