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Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - GrammaBear - 09-21-2017
Does anyone know if Medicare requires that you see a 'sleep doctor' for prescribing cpap supplies, or can a primary care physician write the prescription? My reason for asking is that the sleep doctor I presently see (once a year) is located in another town and I'm not impressed with his attitude or his behavior at my last appointment. I was so uncomfortable with the 'atmosphere' at that appointment that I've asked my husband to go with me to my next scheduled appointment. Does anyone have your PCP write your scripts?
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - Crimson Nape - 09-21-2017
Just about anybody with a DEA license can write the prescription.
This includes:
- Medical doctors.
- Doctor of Osteopathy.
- Psychiatrist (MD only)
- Physician assistant.
- Nurse practitioner.
- Dentist.
- Naturopathic physicians.
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - PaulaO2 - 09-21-2017
My GP wrote my last scripts. All went well. Time to have her do it again!
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - Homerec130 - 09-21-2017
My ENT is my sleep doc and he has written several of my scripts. My wife's sleep doc hasn't responded to any of her messages from the last three weeks so we are in the process of shifter her over to mine.
Homer
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - GrammaBear - 09-22-2017
(09-21-2017, 02:20 PM)Homerec130 Wrote: My ENT is my sleep doc and he has written several of my scripts. My wife's sleep doc hasn't responded to any of her messages from the last three weeks so we are in the process of shifter her over to mine.
Homer
I will be seeing a new ENT doctor next month, so will ask her if she is comfortable writing the script for my cpap supplies if my GP is not comfortable doing so. My sleep doc once told me "I am busier than I want to be" and I felt uncomfortable with him. I mean if you don't want to be a sleep doc anymore, then retire or move to a less populated area instead of living 90 miles outside of a MAJOR city like Chicago.
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - SarcasticDave94 - 09-22-2017
(09-22-2017, 08:30 AM)GrammaBear Wrote:(09-21-2017, 02:20 PM)Homerec130 Wrote: My ENT is my sleep doc and he has written several of my scripts. My wife's sleep doc hasn't responded to any of her messages from the last three weeks so we are in the process of shifter her over to mine.
Homer
I will be seeing a new ENT doctor next month, so will ask her if she is comfortable writing the script for my cpap supplies if my GP is not comfortable doing so. My sleep doc once told me "I am busier than I want to be" and I felt uncomfortable with him. I mean if you don't want to be a sleep doc anymore, then retire or move to a less populated area instead of living 90 miles outside of a MAJOR city like Chicago.
Hey GrammaBear, the only pulmonary doc I had announced to me when I did the required Face-To-Face on getting the new ASV, mentioned he's retiring soon. They scheduled my next visit there with another doc. Seriously, this was the best visit he and I had ever (not exactly nor specifically due to his retiring). He always conveyed the attitude of being overworked, stressed, etc. AND very stubborn, AKA his way or no way. This time though, he was actually quite nice and friendly. IMO as well, I think he was co-founder (or whatever you want to call it) of that doctors office. As I stated elsewhere on AB I'll give the new doc a chance, then evaluate if I'm continuing to go there or establish permanent patient care with another facility I used earlier this year as a 2nd opinion when the BiPAP was greatly increasing fatigue due to causing the CA.
Cheers y'all
Dave
oh a PS still awaiting eval. on psych eval for back stim trial, I suggested to the facility same place I did eval for bariatric surgery 1 yr ago
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - Sleeprider - 09-22-2017
My primary care doctors have always written my prescriptions. If they felt they needed help, the could refer to a specialist, but the care and prescription stays with my primary. Your primary can refer for sleep study and use the study report and recommendations to prescribe. That would be acceptable to Medicare without ever seeing a sleep specialist. Note that a specialist would likely review and sign the sleep study, even if you never see him.
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - Mosquitobait - 09-23-2017
GrammaBear, it's getting an initial machine that usually requires a sleep doctor (because you need a current sleep study). Everything else can be done by your primary. My primary now handles updating prescriptions for all my supplies for Medicare. He will have retired by the time I need a replacement machine, but I know from my brother's experience that once you have been approved by Medicare for a machine and that there are face-to-face discussions of your therapy, you don't need another sleep study UNLESS you need to go to a higher level machine (i.e. apap to bilevel).
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - GrammaBear - 10-13-2017
I finally had my yearly appointment with the sleep doctor after having them cancel two previous apppointments. I came away from this appointment with a really bad opinion of this guy. He seemed annoyed that I didn't go through 'proper channels' when I bought my AirSense S10 machine. I told him I didn't want to deal with insurance and that I bought it as a 'gently used' machine and it works fine. Personally I don't think it is his business how I got the machine.
I am an overweight person who is definitely trying to lose weight, but he seemed focused on my weight, rather than my sleep apnea. I guess I will be looking to my GP for sure to write my prescription for supplies. Does Medicare care that she can't download my SD card? I really don't want to go back to the sleep doctor, not even with my husband accompanying me.
RE: Does Medicare require a 'sleep doctor'? - kiwii - 10-13-2017
I am so sorry that you've had such a bad experience with that doctor.
Insurance companies are only concerned about whether or not you are using your machine. I'm sure someone with actual experience with Medicare will be along shortly. I mostly just wanted to say that it's good that you're standing up for yourself; it is not good to continue seeing someone that makes you feel uneasy or at risk.