CPAP apnea machines on the road

I'd like to jump in and ask a few questions, if I might.

When you need a sleep apnea study, does insurance cover it or is it out of pocket? I'm wondering because of the imminent implementation of the mandate for tests if your BMI is considered high. What do the tests cost? I can't wait to dig into my pocket to get the test. Thanks

 

Heres something to consider. If you are wondering if you might have sleep apnea, go to your Doctor and talk about it and see if you could take an overnight at home oxygen study. From what it looks like, this is a good pre-step to a sleep study and probably alot cheaper. What they do is give you a machine which has an oxygen sensor that you put on your finger while you sleep. It monitors your oxygen levels and heart beat and from that, they can see your oxygen levels overnight and see how often it dipped below 90%...etc. I took one recently and the doc said that while my levels did drop a few times, I wouldnt qualify for insurance to get the cpap machine.

 

Whether or not a sleep study would be covered by your insurance depends on the exact details of your insurance. I had contact with one driver who works for a carrier whose insurance coverage specifically excluded coverage for sleep apnea testing and treatment.

Other insurance policies cover sleep apnea testing and treatment as preventative medicine and cover 100%. It really depends on the insurance carrier for your health insurance.

Good Luck

 

There are the pulse and oxygen monitors that clip on the finger, like this speaks of. There is also a little newer system that includes an additional "strap" around your chest that also records respirations. Either one would be a good first step.

I got really lucky with mine. The Dr. I was seeing had his own sleep lab and referred there. They told me that they were approved providers under my Insurance. He was as a Dr. but his sleep lab was not. They had to writeoff the entire test. And my insurance covers the machine 100%.

 

I've been using a cpap machine for the last 10 years in my truck and it presents no problems. I run it with a small inverter plugged into the 12 volt outlet in the sleeper and it works very well. Can't live without it. Lets me get a good nights uninterrupted sleep and I'm ready to go the next day. Good luck!

 

Just got compliance report for entire 2009 year. Used 93% of time. Standard is 70%. Average nightly use 5.75 hrs. Standard is 4 hrs. Doc also gave me 12v adapter. Still trying to get in training,have Med card and permit but no luck yet. Going through cardiology paperwork with CRST and Swift(I know) is working with me also. these are the only two companies that would even consider working with me.

 

As long as you can get th med card, the sleep apnea should not stop you. Although some companies have other seemingly arbitrary policies about other thing, and I guess could about this as well. Personally it would seem to me that it would be better to have someone who has been diagnosed and is receiving effective treatment than to hire someone who has not been tested because he or she is ignoring symptoms. Best of luck with the applications, let us know how it goes.