SleepGeek.com

Little more info that I’ve posted a few times for the Medicare folks:

Here are the billing codes (HCPC’s) and an idea of Medicare allowable which varies from state to state. Allowables shown are 2004 Washington State allowables They will vary state to state and year to year.
CPAP- Purchased CPAPs (billing code E0601 paid at @ $111.71/mo for up to 15 months-capped rental) (5 years for replacement)

Heated Humidifier- (K0531 @ $301.22)

Mask Frame- 1 per 3 months (A7030 @ $188.64 for a Full Face and A7034 @ $117.64 for a regular mask)

Replacement Mask Cushion- 2 per month (A7031 @ $69.77 for full face & A7032 @ 40.53 for a regular mask cushion)

Head Gear- 1 per 6 months (A7035 @ $39.75)

Chin Strap- 1 per 6 months (A7036 @ $18.20)

Nasal Pillows- 2 pairs per month (A7033 @ 28.41)

Tubing- 1 per month (A7037 @ $41.02)

Filters- 2 disposible per month (A7038 @ $5.39) and 1 reuseable every 6 months (A7039 @ $15.33)

Medicare guidelines are very confusing to many DME personnel. I myself had to read it several times and study hard on my own to understand all the information.

Most insurances are following Medicare guidelines for CPAP supplies so it’s a good base to start with in determining what supplies you are allowed and how often and the “Allowable” amount your portion of the bill will be based on.

Now that winter is coming “Rain Out” from your humidifier is almost inevitable. With most doctors and suppliers now providing heated humidifiers with every CPAP or Bi-Level machine out there, “Rain Out” is a problem that most sleep apnea sufferers will experience at least once. There are several easy solutions to this problem.

• Always keep your humidifier lower than your head. This will keep the condensation from getting trapped in your tube and you won’t get that lovely gurgling sound that we all despise.
• If you must sleep with the window open, you must heat or insulate your tube. Some insurance companies now will pay for a heated tube for your CPAP. There is however a cheaper solution; make a sock for your tube. You can use anything that will help to insulate your tube, generally one of the easiest things is to use part of an old blanket. If you’re not handy with the sewing machine, there’s always the redneck way to wrap it around your tubing… Duct Tape!

These are some common tricks for the new CPAP user to help keep you from experience the dripping, gurgling, and annoyance of “Rain Out” this winter.

Clinical Abstract Weight Loss and AHI

Here is an abstract that the Physician that I used to work for did while I was there. Mind you, not everyone that completed this study got off CPAP however it shows that in SOME people this is definitely a weight issue. I worked with many of the patients that were involved in this study and it was wonderful to see these people get so much better physically and emotionally. The day that many of them gave back their CPAP was a very big occasion and there are a lot of them that I will never forget.

Reuters Health

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For people with the breathing disorder sleep apnea, sticking with therapy may aid not only their breathing but also their hearts, a study suggests.

Greek researchers found that patients who best adhered to their treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) also showed dips in their cholesterol and other blood substances associated with heart disease.

CPAP is considered the most effective therapy for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which the soft tissues of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep, causing repeated stops and starts in breathing throughout the night. The therapy involves wearing a facemask through which the CPAP device delivers pressurized air to keep the airways open.

Besides its direct symptoms — like loud snoring and daytime sleepiness — sleep apnea may also raise the risks of cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. This is thought to be because the disorder causes chronic oxygen deprivation and nervous system activation during sleep, which may stress the cardiovascular system over time.

In theory, treating sleep apnea should reduce the cardiovascular risks linked to the disorder. The new findings, published in the medical journal Chest, add to evidence that it does.

Researchers found that among 53 men and women who were advised to start CPAP therapy, those who most consistently used the CPAP device showed drops in their levels of cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine. CRP and homocysteine are blood proteins associated with heart disease risk.

In contrast, fewer benefits were seen among patients who were less consistent with their CPAP treatment — using the device for fewer than 4 hours per night, on average. They showed a decrease in homocysteine only.

Meanwhile, patients who refused CPAP therapy altogether had no changes in any of the measured heart disease markers.

The findings highlight the importance of sticking with sleep apnea treatment, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Paschalis Steiropoulos of the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis.

“These observations,” the researchers write, “may help to explain the favorable effects of CPAP therapy on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and underline the importance of compliance with CPAP treatment.”

SOURCE: Chest, September 2007.

Reuters Health

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