90 day DOT medical card issued/Sleep test required, Need advice please

We are talking about people in the medical field, who do DOT physicals, that are afraid of being sued by some ambulance chasing lawyer. It all boils down to that. Sure there are no FMCSA requirements for sleep apnea tests, but in order to not look like they are rubberstamping everyone a 2 year medical card, they flag some drivers. I'm over 50 now and expect to be flagged just because of my age, even though that's the only thing they can question and make issue of. It all boils down to a medical professional covering their butt when they are summoned to court because a driver they certified was in an accident that resulted in a fatality and that's the bottom line.

 

Ok so they give you a 90 day card and then are suppose to give you a one month card for the month you are adjusting to it? Because that’s my concern now as I have a 2 year card but have to take a new one for a new employer and I’m def worried I’ll end up losing my job because if I get a 3 month card cus of a sleep study and find out I have sleep apnea, I’m worried I won’t have enough time to get the study done, get the machine and log the time needed you get my one year card.

 

Yes. You can get one months till you can get machine and get compliant. I Don’t know how your company works and If they will pay for it or you may have to.

 

Thanks. That eases my mind a bit.

I know they will pay for my physical in the hiring stages but if I have sleep apnea then idk if they will pay for anything lol

Of course this is all a “what if” when I go to take a new physical next week. As long as I can get a 3 month and then a one month to prove I’m compliant I’m ok with it

 

I did read though if you have moderate to severe apnea they will take your cdl and in all likelihood lose your job

 

My husband has moderate sleep apnea. He didn't loose his job or his CDL.

This is what we did. My husband and I got flagged for a sleep apnea test at out last physical. As soon as we left Concentra (company sent us) I got a list of sleep study test places. I went down the list. Explained to them we were only in town for 2 days and had a 90 day card to get testing, and if need be a machine and be in compliance during this time. I also let them know we wouldn't be back in town for 8 weeks.

The second company I talked to got us both a sleep study that night. (I passed, hubby did not) At 1 am after the test. They had fitted my husband with the machine and mask. We went home that night. He started using it that night. Came back in town 8 weeks later. Concentra wanted 90 days of compliance, wouldn't accept 60 days.

Went to safety and explained med card will expire in 4 weeks. Went back out and came home 3 1/2 weeks later. Went back to Concentra with the compliance report. The Dr said it was close enough to 90 days and had 100% compliance from date of starting. He was given his 1 year med card. Company paid for all the appointments.

 

Seems like a few places are pushing all the apnea BS and cashing in on it. Most of the rules for SAFETY are nothing more then cash grabs. If they give you that BS just drop the license, trucking is shti pay anyways nowadays for how you have to be a slave.

 

They will not take your license for having Apnea. But they will take it for not not using the machine. Having a Cpap will become a requirement to have the cdl soon enough.
Would not be surprising in the least if the schools well start fitting everyone for a mask on the first day of driving school and have you wear it non stop in class so you can already be compliant before you take driving test for your permit.

 

So again, if I can’t get everything taken care of in the 90 days, I should be able to go and get one month card?

 

Yes. Sir!