Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Medicare and CPAP

Along with allowing home limited-channel polysomnographic testing to qualify a patient for a cpap machine, CMS also instituted a 12-week trial period for cpap:

The use of CPAP is covered under Medicare when used in adult patients with OSA. Coverage of CPAP is initially limited to a 12-week period to identify beneficiaries diagnosed with OSA as subsequently described who benefit from CPAP. CPAP is subsequently covered only for those beneficiaries diagnosed with OSA who benefit from CPAP during this 12-week period.

This trial period applies whether osa was diagnosed by traditional polysomnography or by home testing.

I have heard from several sources that objective data will be required to demonstrate compliance (compliance download). Does anyone have any info about this, and when it will take effect (one source has told me Nov 1, 2008)???? If anyone could provide a link, it would be appreciated. thanks