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View Public Comments for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

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[137 Comments]
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First character of titleCommenterComment Information
A
Abraham, William Title: Professor of Internal Medicine
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: 04/11/2007
Comment:

Comment on CMS National Coverage Determination on CPAP

As an experienced medical professional in the field of heart failure patient management, I am pleased to submit these comments to the CMS in response to the open National Coverage More opens in new window

A
Abramson, Mark Title: D.M.D.
Organization: California Center for Craniomandibular Disorders
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

I wholeheartedly support the use of ambulatory
home monitoring for obstructive sleep apnea.

Patients clearly report disturbances in going to
the hospital, being strapped up and being told to
sleep normally through the More opens in new window

A
Ackroyd, MD, Gregory Organization: North Bay Sleep Medicine Institute
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

The position statement from the Academy of Otolaryngology is worrisome. It is a painful demonstration of a limited knowledge base in both sleep medicine as a field and in the fundamental capacity to diagnose and treat the obstructive sleep More opens in new window

A
Alobeidy, Salaam Title: MD
Organization: Sleep America Medical Services. P.C.
Date: 04/12/2007
Comment:

Dear Dr. Rollins,
I am writing this letter to you in support of
portable monitoring and diagnosis of sleep
disordered breathing. As a practicing sleep
specialist, I and my colleagues struggle every
day with some patients who More opens in new window

A
alvarez, sergio Date: 03/16/2007
Comment:

sleep medicine is under an exponential influx of
new information associating sleep disorders with
a growing number of serious illnesses; its seems
inappropriate at this stage to take short cuts on
the gahtering of data as we More opens in new window

A
ANAGNOS, Angela Title: Medical Director
Organization: American Sleep Medicine Center, Silicon Valley
Date: 03/26/2007
Comment:

I recommend extreme caution when considering the
role of home testing in sleep testing. I do
think there is a limited role in sleep testing,
such as in the case of an elderly or ill patient
unable to transport to a sleep center. More opens in new window

A
Anderson, RRT, Jeff Title: Sr. Clinical Representative
Organization: Corner Medical, LLC
Date: 04/11/2007
Comment:

Thank you for your interest in comments
regarding an additional forum for providing
sleep diagnostics. As a Respiratory Practioner
of the past 20 years and involved in sleep
medicine for close to 26 years, I have seen the More opens in new window

A
arain, basma Organization: Durable Medical Equipment Company
Date: 04/09/2007
Comment:

Patients with dangerous sleep disorders would
have better access to treatment, insurers could
save millions, and the home medical equipment
industry would benefit from an expanded line of
business if new technology in obstructive More opens in new window

B
Baete, Sheryl Title: Neurodiagnostic Technician
Organization: Sanford Medical Center
Date: 03/30/2007
Comment:

Staff attended sleep studies will assure patient of the best diagnostic and treatment outcome.Without staff present changes occurr that are not able to be correlated to patient position, electrode malfunction and also More opens in new window

B
Belland, Patrick Date: 04/12/2007
Comment:

Steve Phurrough, MD
Director of Coverage & Analysis Group
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

Re: Coverage of Home Sleep More opens in new window

B
Bellante, Sloane Date: 04/12/2007
Comment:

By oferring patients the opportunity to have a
sleep study in the comfort of their own
environment, we can offset the amount of people
who are currently unwilling, or physically unable
to get to a lab. I still beleive the lab More opens in new window

B
Bloxham, MD, FCCP, DABSM, Thomas J. Title: Medical Director
Organization: Sleep Medicine Center of Kansas
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

I am writing to discourage the coverage of
unattended PSG's.

First, the contention that there is currently
limited access to or availability of sleep
studies is not the case in our area. Two sleep
laboratories have More opens in new window

B
Brichta, Marla Title: Assistant Vice President, Health Affairs
Organization: American College of Chest Physicians
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

Amercian College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)

April 12, 2007

James Rollins, MD, MHSA, Ph.D.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesOffice of Clinical Standards and QualityCoverage and Analysis GroupAttn: Public Comments,7500 Security More opens in new window

B
Butcher, Jennifer Title: Lead Sleep Technologist
Organization: EMH Regional Medical Center
Date: 04/11/2007
Comment:

04-10-07

Re: Home Sleep Studies

As RPSGT’s, we are vehemently opposed to the proposition of allowing home sleep studies to be performed and covered by Medicare. In our hospital based sleep lab, we believe in and strive for accurate sleep More opens in new window

B
BYRD, JOHN Title: Clinical Coordinator
Organization: Freedom Healthcare
Date: 04/06/2007
Comment:

I believe that in home testing would benefit a
large number of individuals that need testing
for OSA that are unable to utilize traditional
sleep labs.Insurance polocies should cover these More opens in new window

C
Canary, Jeremy Title: Clinical Care Specialist
Date: 04/12/2007
Comment:

Date: 4/12/2007

TO: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

FROM: Jeremy Canary A.S., RRT

RE: Public Comment re: Obstructive Sleep Apnea home testing (Ref: CAG-00093R2)

I am More opens in new window

C
colin, wayne Title: otolaryngology head neck surgery
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

The massive backlog of patients at risk for
obstructive sleep apnea needs to be addressed by
allowing home testing with ambulatory devices. It
is well documented in the medical literature that
OSA risks and exacerbates HTN, DM, More opens in new window

C
Corson, Wilfred Title: Physician
Organization: Minnesota Lung and Sleep Center
Date: 04/11/2007
Comment:

As a physician and sleep specialist I stongly
oppose any changes in CMS regulations regarding
home testing for sleep apnea. To my knowledge
there has been no good clinical evidence that
home testing improves medical care, More opens in new window

C
Cox, Cindy Title: Sleep Lab Coordinator
Organization: Tipton Hospital
Date: 04/11/2007
Comment:

I do NOT feel it is in the patient's best
interest to allow home testing. Quality of
monitoring/testing would diminish. There are too
many factors that require attention by an
attended sleep technologist during the study More opens in new window

C
Crookshanks-Hoke, Sharon Organization: Boxley Hill Clinic
Date: 04/12/2007
Comment:

TO: SSI/CMS Clinical Review
RE: OSA Information

I am very pleased that ambulatory sleep testing
is becoming more accessible for my patients. It
is also easier to refer patients for this
necessary evaluation and receive the More opens in new window

C
Curl, Lana Title: Sleep Center Director
Date: 04/05/2007
Comment:

I have been a sleep medicine technologist for over 20 years. I have witnessed many changes within the field. Alot of good, some aweful. Allowing at home monitoring was tried a few years ago with poor success. Our sleep center More opens in new window

C
Curran, Donald Title: D.O.
Organization: Arizona Sleep Medicine Associates
Date: 04/10/2007
Comment:

I am a board certified sleep doctor; I have
used at home sleep apnea testing procedures for
two years; I recommend this procedure for patient
access and acceptance; the data output is very
good and can be used to begin to More opens in new window
D
Daniel, Martinez Title: President
Organization: Professional Medical Equipment
Date: 04/13/2007
Comment:

I support the coverage of ambulatory sleep studies at home such as the test available with the Itamar Watch PAT. It is less costly and more effective than regular sleep lab alternatives. Accessibilty to this technology would save More opens in new window

D
Davidson, Terence Date: 03/23/2007
Comment:

As a head and neck surgeon, I have diagnosed and treated over 2000 patients with sleep disordered breathing. The majority of insurance companies in San Diego reimburse for home sleep tests, and I have used these tests in all patients with More opens in new window

D
Davis, Glenn Title: Polsomnographer
Organization: Colquitt Regional Medical Center
Date: 04/06/2007
Comment:

Limited home testing for compliance reasons,
slight PAP changes for comfort are wonderful
options for home CPAP testing and are certainly
not a replacement of diagnostic exam results for
standard clincal tests.

The client More opens in new window

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