Sleep physicians that value OSCAR and the Apnea Board community

[clownbell]

Interesting commentary by JJJ regarding Kaiser. JJJ's profile zip code indicates he is in Portland. Kaiser in Oregon is a different division than Kaiser in California (SF Bay Area). I am a Kaiser patient located in the Bay Area, and the employees in my sleep center have never heard of Kaiser. They know I have changed my pressures but they cannot argue with the improvement in my numbers since I changed my own pressures. Different Kaiser, different approaches?

[JJJ]

Interesting commentary by JJJ regarding Kaiser. JJJ's profile zip code indicates he is in Portland. Kaiser in Oregon is a different division than Kaiser in California (SF Bay Area). I am a Kaiser patient located in the Bay Area, and the employees in my sleep center have never heard of Kaiser. They know I have changed my pressures but they cannot argue with the improvement in my numbers since I changed my own pressures. Different Kaiser, different approaches?

That is mostly true. When I needed a new machine (before my bipap) my local Kaiser sleep center sold only Respironics, but I had been using a Resmed S9 (defunct, which is why I needed a new machine), and I checked around. It turned out that most Kaiser places sold only Resmed, and mine was the minority that dispensed only Respironics. Each Kaiser sleep center does pretty much its own thing, although the basic health plans are the same. They told me they had no problem if I wanted a Resmed, but that it would be my out of pocket cost. Their alternative was a Respironics bipap for a co-pay of $200, which is what I took. The Respironics machine worked fine, but six months later I wanted a second machine for my recliner chair so I wouldn't have to schlepp the Respironics back and forth from my bed to the recliner. Supplier #2 took care of that for me. 

What I said about my local sleep center people being familiar with OSCAR should not be construed to mean that all Kaiser sleep center people have the same attitude. I am pleased with the people in my sleep center, but the people in other Kaiser sleep centers may be [expletives deleted].

[DaveL]

Not sure about Canadian insurance or DMEs in general, but I know that to get Ontario's ADP reimbursement you have to use an ADP registered sleep doctor.

Sometimes it's easier to pay out of pocket and go to Supplier #2 who don't require a prescription for international orders.

Thank you! That's incredibly helpful.

DaveL

[Homerec130]

My sleep doc loves my OSCAR report I bring him every time. I brought my laptop in for one appointment and showed him some of the graphs and he said this is more than the system we have to use gives us. He is totally on board with it and has recommended it and the forum to several patients.

[FrankFuss]

My sleep doc loves my OSCAR report I bring him every time. I brought my laptop in for one appointment and showed him some of the graphs and he said this is more than the system we have to use gives us. He is totally on board with it and has recommended it and the forum to several patients.

I wish that I lived in Tucson, then I could go to your sleep doc, but I live in Denver.  Maybe I should move. 

[Homerec130]

But if you do move here, remember in the summer "It is a DRY heat" (so's my oven.

[Ivy woods]

My experience has been that a reasonably educated patient with oscar data to determine best settings is far superior to any sleep study which doesn’t even differentiate whether the patient is awake or asleep.

[rltarbu]

I have had two sleep studies.  Neither technician had ever heard of Oscar.  Wonder what kind of training they get?

[Nightynite]

I wanted a Vauto, I took Oscar charts and desired machine info along with rx settings to my PCP. She wouldn’t write a script, she sent me to a pulmonologist. I took my lap top and he wasn’t interested at looking at any of my charts. They all wanted some one else to do a sleep study and provide them with a script. I told my PCP the hardest part for me with my health care is finding a Dr. that can work with me and my cpap therapy. So disappointing. I also have been searching relentlessly for a used vauto.

[Jay51]

Sometimes summary data (from OSCAR, etc. that proves your point) can be better than a single night or a few brief charts.   It is very quick and can help convey an important point and sometimes get your foot in the door.