We Cant Wait wrote:
One thing I have to question and this what do OVER 90% of those taking the tests HAVE to get a cpap machine??? Do they really need one or is the medical profession just making money on something that we ourselves can not prove one way or another?
Here's a couple of things to think about regarding that question.
A doctor gets a small fee for interpreting the study. Not a fee for ordering the test. So there's no extra money coming from saying someone is positive for sleep apnea who isn't. The docs also don't have any financial involvement in the equipment you go home with. Yes, as another post suggests, patients who are suspected of sleep apnea are likely to have a positive test. The docs don't have a financial investment in the sleep lab. So, primary care docs that refer patients for the study make zero dollars on the referral, the outcome or the equipment. Same for a pulmonologist with the exception of the pulmonologist who actually does the interpretation. This is the model and relationship between docs and sleep studies at my hospital. It's possible, of course, that there are different models out there which would/could alter the financial relationships. And the proof of sleep apnea is simple and easily understood if you look at the recording with the MD, but mostly they just quantify how many episodes, how long, and how severe. It's science, but it's not rocket science.
Bottom line, it's not a scam, it's actually an under-diagnosed and under-treated problem. Disclaimer: I have no financial ties to sleep apnea studies, interpretations, or equipment.
