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I've commented on this before on HN. I have sleep apnea and a ResMed CPAP. A very US-centric response: Insurance also seems to have access to this data in one

I've commented on this before on HN. I have sleep apnea and a ResMed CPAP. A very US-centric response: Insurance also seems to have access to this data in one way or another (not sure if direct with ResMed or via your doctor). If you don't hit your "compliance target" for treatment, insurance will cease paying 'their share' of the cost. So I found myself in a downward spiral of 0. Struggling to sleep with sleep apnea. Tons of ramifications of not getting good sleep that I don't need to get into. 1. Struggling to adapt to sleeping with this device strapped to my face. I would take it off unconsciously.. I would often find the hose laying next to me in the morning still "pumping", or be told by my wife of belligerent (unconscious) responses to her prompting me to put it back on in the middle of the night. 2. Losing sleep from constantly waking up throughout the night because of the CPAP/from anxiety 3. Anxiety over not meeting my compliance target of 4 hours of use per night (as interpreted by the CPAP knowing the proper amount of back-pressure when in use i.e. not just turned on and not worn). 4. Getting charged more because I did not meet my targets for enough time 5. Eventually owning the CPAP outright 6. Eventually discontinuing therapy and somehow having slightly improved levels of sleep that I've never bothered to attempt to restart therapy

GiorgioG 4y ago
It took me weeks to get used to mine, but I find I do sleep better with it than without my CPAP machine. With respect to insurance, I replaced my original machine without going through insurance. It would have cost me more out of pocket for the doctor visit and on-site sleep study. The state of health “insurance” in this country is mind-boggling. But we continue to vote for politicians that vote against our own best interests. We need more than these two f’d up parties.
- alistairSH 4y ago
  We need more than these two f’d up parties. I've said it in other threads, but these "two f'd up parties" are the expected end result of our electoral system[1]. While we very occasionally see one of the parties replaced with an upstart, the parties eventually return to a similar status quo. Grassroots movements to implement run-off elections, approval voting, or other similar plans are seeing some traction. If you really want to see change, searching for these groups locally (and volunteering or donating) might be worth the effort. 1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law
hackernewds 4y ago
As someone who couldn't hit compliance either, any other sleep apnea solutions that have worked for you (or others?) (apologies about derailing into subthread)
- dylan604 4y ago
  >(apologies about derailing into subthread) this is the natural evolution of a conversation. i feel no apology should be necessary. taking a conversation to new related directions is often where that Aha! or Eureka! moment is found. personally, i find people that get upset and feel an apology is warranted are people i find quite boring to have a conversation with
- NelsonMinar 4y ago
  There's a couple of sleep apnea forums that might be helpful to you; I like http://www.apneaboard.com/ http://www.apneaboard.com/ Before I got my CPAP set up the one thing I found that really helped me was sleeping on an inclined pillow, up about 20 degrees. Not comfortable but helped me breathe. There are other treatments for sleep apnea if CPAP isn't working for you; some surgical options, oral appliances, fancier breathing machines. Worth talking to a sleep specialist doctor about.
- abduhl 4y ago
  Well I broke up with my long term girlfriend and complaints about my sleep apnea stopped. Not sure if this approach is viable for you, but it will solve most peoples’ sleep apnea problem (snoring annoying other people). Other good ideas are to try one of the mouth guards or a new pillow that keeps your head/throat area sort of tight.
  - dylan604 4y ago
    >Well I broke up with my long term girlfriend and complaints about my sleep apnea stopped If we just stop testing people, the number of cases will go down. If you turn up the radio, that weird noise the car is making will go away.
- bluesquared 4y ago
NelsonMinar 4y ago
I'm so sorry you've gone through this, that sounds miserable. When you feel up for it I hope you can seek treatment again. For context for other readers: the cost of one of these machines is about $800. That's a very small amount of money, often less than a single month's insurance premium. And for that the insurance companies turn medical treatment devices into anxiety-inducing spy machines. It's hideous.
- Fiahil 4y ago
  > 800 […] That's a very small amount of money, often less than a single month's insurance premium. Jesus fucking christ, what the fuck ?! How much does health insurance cost in the US ?
  - bluesquared 4y ago
    I pay ~$500/month for "pretty good" health insurance, and my employer pays roughly the same (a "benefit" that the employer pays 'half'! /s ) And then you have to pay small fees when you go visit a doctor ($25-ish each time), pay for medications (expensive). Emergency room swipes your credit card before a doctor even sees you ($150 co-pay for my plan). Pay thousands for an MRI (that the insurance company has graciously negotiated down 95%!)
    - BenjiWiebe 4y ago
      "thousands for an MRI" MDSave. I got a brain MRI for ~$450.
  - NelsonMinar 4y ago
    Prices vary widely and many Americans have no idea because their employer pays it. You can shop California's market yourself; try 94114 for San Francisco. https://www.coveredca.com/ https://www.coveredca.com/ For a 30 year old it's $400 to $1100 a month depending on coverage level. A mediocre "Silver" plan is $400 at age 20 to $1060 at age 65, at which point you qualify for nationalized healthcare.
  - missedthecue 4y ago
x3n0ph3n3 4y ago
If you haven't already, take a look at the Phillips Dreamwear. It is the least uncomfortable CPAP mask.

GiorgioG 4y ago

It took me weeks to get used to mine, but I find I do sleep better with it than without my CPAP machine. With respect to insurance, I replaced my original machine without going through insurance. It would have cost me more out of pocket for the doctor visit and on-site sleep study. The state of health “insurance” in this country is mind-boggling. But we continue to vote for politicians that vote against our own best interests. We need more than these two f’d up parties.

alistairSH 4y ago
We need more than these two f’d up parties. I've said it in other threads, but these "two f'd up parties" are the expected end result of our electoral system[1]. While we very occasionally see one of the parties replaced with an upstart, the parties eventually return to a similar status quo. Grassroots movements to implement run-off elections, approval voting, or other similar plans are seeing some traction. If you really want to see change, searching for these groups locally (and volunteering or donating) might be worth the effort. 1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duverger%27s_law

hackernewds 4y ago

As someone who couldn't hit compliance either, any other sleep apnea solutions that have worked for you (or others?) (apologies about derailing into subthread)

dylan604 4y ago
>(apologies about derailing into subthread) this is the natural evolution of a conversation. i feel no apology should be necessary. taking a conversation to new related directions is often where that Aha! or Eureka! moment is found. personally, i find people that get upset and feel an apology is warranted are people i find quite boring to have a conversation with
NelsonMinar 4y ago
There's a couple of sleep apnea forums that might be helpful to you; I like http://www.apneaboard.com/ http://www.apneaboard.com/ Before I got my CPAP set up the one thing I found that really helped me was sleeping on an inclined pillow, up about 20 degrees. Not comfortable but helped me breathe. There are other treatments for sleep apnea if CPAP isn't working for you; some surgical options, oral appliances, fancier breathing machines. Worth talking to a sleep specialist doctor about.
abduhl 4y ago
Well I broke up with my long term girlfriend and complaints about my sleep apnea stopped. Not sure if this approach is viable for you, but it will solve most peoples’ sleep apnea problem (snoring annoying other people). Other good ideas are to try one of the mouth guards or a new pillow that keeps your head/throat area sort of tight.
- dylan604 4y ago
  >Well I broke up with my long term girlfriend and complaints about my sleep apnea stopped If we just stop testing people, the number of cases will go down. If you turn up the radio, that weird noise the car is making will go away.
bluesquared 4y ago

NelsonMinar 4y ago

I'm so sorry you've gone through this, that sounds miserable. When you feel up for it I hope you can seek treatment again. For context for other readers: the cost of one of these machines is about $800. That's a very small amount of money, often less than a single month's insurance premium. And for that the insurance companies turn medical treatment devices into anxiety-inducing spy machines. It's hideous.

Fiahil 4y ago
> 800 […] That's a very small amount of money, often less than a single month's insurance premium. Jesus fucking christ, what the fuck ?! How much does health insurance cost in the US ?
- bluesquared 4y ago
  I pay ~$500/month for "pretty good" health insurance, and my employer pays roughly the same (a "benefit" that the employer pays 'half'! /s ) And then you have to pay small fees when you go visit a doctor ($25-ish each time), pay for medications (expensive). Emergency room swipes your credit card before a doctor even sees you ($150 co-pay for my plan). Pay thousands for an MRI (that the insurance company has graciously negotiated down 95%!)
  - BenjiWiebe 4y ago
    "thousands for an MRI" MDSave. I got a brain MRI for ~$450.
- NelsonMinar 4y ago
  Prices vary widely and many Americans have no idea because their employer pays it. You can shop California's market yourself; try 94114 for San Francisco. https://www.coveredca.com/ https://www.coveredca.com/ For a 30 year old it's $400 to $1100 a month depending on coverage level. A mediocre "Silver" plan is $400 at age 20 to $1060 at age 65, at which point you qualify for nationalized healthcare.
- missedthecue 4y ago

x3n0ph3n3 4y ago

If you haven't already, take a look at the Phillips Dreamwear. It is the least uncomfortable CPAP mask.