Search is Powered by Google
Follow us on:
Follow our health news on Twitter
Follow Our News on Facebook
Personalization
login | register
Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia News

Medicare Approves In Home Sleep Apnea Testing

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Also Included In: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 09 Apr 2008 - 0:00 PDT

email icon email to a friend   printer icon printer friendly   write icon view / write opinions   rate icon rate article
Current Article Ratings:

Patient / Public:4 and a half stars

4.07 (14 votes)

Health Professional:4 stars

3.86 (7 votes)

Article Opinions: 0 posts

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have approved at-home sleep testing for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Previous policy had mandated that suspected sleep apnea sufferers undergo facility-based polysomnography. The new policy allows continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for Medicare patients who are diagnosed via unattended home monitoring devices. This decision will likely prompt increased coverage from insurance companies around the country.

"SleepQuest is very excited about the change in coverage as it demonstrates that our portable sleep testing program, which we have successfully offered for the past 14 years, is a viable and effective alternative to sleep lab testing," said Robert Koenigsberg, SleepQuest President. "Dr. William Dement, SleepQuest's Chief Scientific Advisor and I applaud CMS's in-depth analysis of this topic, providing greater access and allowing the many sufferers of OSA to benefit from treatment."

While coverage has been approved, providers of in-home sleep testing are still waiting to hear the specific date that the policy will actually go into effect. However, several insurance providers have already begun to align their coverage with Medicare.

"We were quite happy to learn that upon hearing of the approval, Aetna immediately revised their medical policy to mirror Medicare's," said Lori Schulman, SleepQuest's Director of Contracting. "We expect other plans that follow Medicare, such as Triwest, will also adopt this policy. SleepQuest has also been in contact with insurance providers, such as Blue Cross of California, who currently allow home sleep testing but impose coverage restrictions."

SleepQuest will continue to work closely with Medicare and insurance companies to ensure that coverage expands, making treatment more available and affordable to more patients. An estimated 30 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep apnea.

SleepQuest has been a leader in at-home testing and treatment of sleep apnea for more than 14 years. With Medicare's official approval, they anticipate significant growth and expansion. A new San Francisco office is scheduled to open by July.

"We anticipate that as coverage continues expanding, we will be able to focus on getting more patients tested quickly and comfortably in the home environment," said Koenigsberg. "We look forward to helping even more OSA sufferers with our comprehensive approach to wellness and vitality."

SleepQuest
http://www.arends-inc.com




Personalized Homepage Weekly Newsletters Daily News Alerts
Hemophilia Opioid Induced Constipation Pneumococcal Disease ADHD Anxiety Asthma Atrial Fibrillation Autism Cancer Diabetes Lung Cancer Lupus Medicare / Medicaid Obesity and BMI Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells All 'What Is...' Articles

Ophthalmology Urology
About Us News Licensing Free Website Feeds Free Tools & Content Tell a Friend Accessibility Help / FAQ Article Submission Links Contact Us

add medical news today to your facebook
medical news gadget

Please fill in our survey

Swine Flu Image

Swine Flu Updates

- Latest Swine Flu News
- What is Swine Flu?
- Map Of H1N1 Outbreaks
- Swine Flu - Top 20 FAQ
- Daily Email News Alerts
Stick with Medical News Today for the latest news updates on swine flu.


These are the most read articles from this news category for the last 6 months:
Top Article Star
Long-Held Theory About Biological Clocks Overturned By U-M Discovery
09 Oct 2009
University of Michigan mathematicians and their British colleagues say they have identified the signal that the brain sends to the rest of the body to control biological rhythms, a finding that overturns a long-held theory about our internal clock...


Seasonal Depression image Seasonal Depression

Every winter, when the days get shorter, people with seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, experience depression. Learn how light can help chase away the winter blues...

Bedtime Basics image Bedtime Basics

Bedtime can be a scary time for kids who share their room with a monster. See how parents can help kids make the transition to sleep with a healthy dose of creativity and support...

View more videos...