Flow Limits How to Upgrade CPAP to Bilevel

[Deborah K.]

I can't wait till my machine arrives!    I'm having them set it up with your suggested settings, Sleeprider.  Then I know you folks will help me tweak it if necessary.  Alan sees his doctor too, I think next week, and I'm sure the same thing will happen for him.  We are both getting our machines from Easy Breathe.  Actual people answer the phone there and they are friendly and super nice.  I'll probably switch to them for all our supplies.

I'm so happy.    This happened on my birthday too, so it was like an extra birthday gift.  Alan says probably no one has ever been so happy and excited about getting a CPAP machine.  Maybe so, but that's me.  

[Sleeprider]

You know, it's a real kick to help someone like you that can really appreciate a change like this, and does what it takes to make it happen. Happy birthday and Merry Christmas.

[Nightynite]

Deborah, congratulations! I’m also trying to go this same path as you. I’m trying to get a vauto and have it covered with Medicare. In your case is Medicare going to cover this or are you going on a different insurance plan. Thanks

[Deborah K.]

Nightynite,

My insurance is a Medicare advantage retirement plan with United Healthcare.  We have great coverage, and everything except prescriptions has a zero copay, so both of our machines will be free.  I think that Medicare by itself covers necessary medical equipment at 100%, but I'm not entirely sure.  Someone else on here will probably know and can tell you for sure.

[Nightynite]

Thanks Deborah, Yea I have original Medicare and I thought Medicare would request an in lab sleep test with documentation. But it looks like you didn’t need to do that. I guess that’s the difference in original and advantage Medicare. Good for you. I hope this new vauto takes your sleep to the next level.

[Deborah K.]

No, Sleeprider told me he used his old sleep study to get his machine too. I don't think you need a new one either. He could probably tell you whether he got his machine free as well. I bet he did.

[Nightynite]

Ok , Well I’m going to try that also with my old sleep test, my Dr. Apt is the 22nd so I need to polish up my presentation and documentation. Thanks Deborah

[WhyMe]

I just “upgraded” to an aircurve vauto using original Medicare too - they accepted a sleep test from over 10 years ago, along with my sleep doctor’s conclusion that the regular APAP therapy was not fixing the problem. It’s nice to see others having positive outcomes with insurance too.

[Nightynite]

Whyme, thanks for that, especially since your also on original Medicare.

[Sleeprider]

Nightynite, Medicare covers 80% of DME products and Advantage plans generally pick up the rest. In this thread I covered a lot of it here https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...#pid492189 and you will find more information in the wiki Dealing With a DME, especially the sections at the end concerning insurance and Medicare requirements https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...with_a_DME