The most effective treatment for OSA is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. A mask worn during sleep provides light air pressure to hold your airway open and, as a result, allows for uninterrupted sleep throughout the night.
Lifestyle changes such as losing weight and avoiding alcohol may help, but the medical community widely supports CPAP as the best treatment for mild and moderate sleep apnea and the only effective treatment for severe sleep apnea.
For some people a dental appliance provides effective treatment. This device will gently pull the lower jaw forward, which in turn will open the airway.
Some insurance plans cover all or part of CPAP therapy. We suggest you check with your insurance provider, and ask the following questions:
- Am I covered for CPAP?
- Is it full coverage or partial coverage? If partial, how much will be covered?
- Do I have to pay out-of-pocket for the CPAP and submit my receipts for reimbursement, or can it be directly billed to the insurer?
- Does my coverage include masks, hoses, and other accessories I might need?
- Am I covered for a new mask and hose every year?
- How often am I covered for a new CPAP machine?
- What paperwork is necessary to complete the claim?
We recommend that you replace parts of your CPAP machine regularly. Your CPAP machine will contain an air filter – check your owner’s manual for the replacement timeline specific to your machine. The hose, headgear and mask should be replaced once per year, or earlier if showing signs of wear. The machine itself will need to be replaced every 7 or 8 years, or as often as your insurance would replace it.
Yes, we can help you obtain replacement parts for a machine you already have.
We take patients based on referrals from physicians and we can also assist patients to obtain a referral or prescription from their physician.