Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance plans do you accept?
Common insurance plans that we accept are listed below. Our participation in insurance plans can change periodically. If listed, please contact your insurance provider directly to see if we are a participating provider. Bring all insurance cards and if HMO have referral from PCP prior to your appointment.
- Aetna
- AARP
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Care Network Advantage
- Blue Care Network
- Blue Cross Complete
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- HAP
- Health Plus
- Humana
- McLaren Health Plan
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Medicare HAP
- Medicare Plus Blue
- Medicare Railroad
- Molina
- Priority Health
- United Healthcare
What is a sleep study?
A sleep study is a diagnostic test utilized in the evaluation of patients with sleep disorders typically characterized by symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness and/or fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, snoring, nocturnal movement disorders, and suspected sleep apnea. Sleep studies are an important addition to the comprehensive sleep evaluation because patients are not fully aware of what happens during sleep. During the sleep study, we monitor several physiological parameters including brain waves, eye movements and chin muscle tone to determine the stage of sleep and airflow, snoring, oxygen levels, electrical activity of the heart, arm and leg movements, and abdominal and chest movement to diagnose specific sleep disorders.
Is a home sleep test better than a sleep test performed a t the sleep lab?
In patients with high likelihood of moderate to severe sleep apnea, home sleep testing is comparable to tests performed in the sleep lab. HSTs tend to underestimate the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to an in-lab sleep test, but it does detect the presence of OSA.
I would like to have a sleep study done. What are the steps?
Sleep studies are ordered by your referring or primary care physician or you may call yourself for an appointment. If they are ordered by your referring or primary care physician, our medical director or one of his designates will review the information provided by your physician and the appropriate study will be ordered. If you called for an appointment yourself, you must be seen by the medical director or one of his designates for an history and physical to be done and then the appropriate test can be ordered. During this exam will be shown the sleep lab and be more educated as to what to expect during your sleep study.
What happens after I have the sleep study done?
After your sleep study you will be scheduled to have a follow-up with Dr. Asmi. The test results will be explained to you in detail and all questions will be answered. If it is determined that you start CPAP therapy, we will go over the details on how you will get your machine and when to schedule compliance follow-up appointments.
Are there other options instead of CPAP?
The gold standard of treatment of OSA is either CPAP or BiPAP. CPAP/BiPAP are noninvasive and effective for almost all patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Surgery and oral sleep appliances are other options.
Surgeries are aimed to lessen obstruction of the various sites of anatomical obstruction of the upper airway, mouth, nose and throat. Sometimes these surgical procedures are combined. Unfortunately, surgical success is often unpredictable and less effective than PAP devices with the exception of tracheostomy, which is rarely recommended.
During your consultation, the doctor will explore any surgery options that may be right for you.
Most of the surgical procedures have a reported success rate of 50-60 percent in selected patients, whereas maxillomandibular advancement has a success rate of 90 percent. Although surgery is not without risks and not as predictable as positive airway pressure therapy, surgery remains an important therapeutic consideration in all patients with OSA. Dr. Asmi will evaluate you and, if he feels you may be a surgical candidate, he will refer you to an experienced and capable surgeon.
Oral Sleep Appliance options:
All appliances fall into two categories,
- Tongue retaining devices (they hold the tongue in a forward position with a suction bulb)
- Mandibular positioning devices (they reposition and maintain the lower jaw in a protruded position).
Typically oral sleep appliances work best for patients who snore and have more apneas when they are sleeping on their backs. It is generally restricted to patients who have an apnea/hypopnea index of less than 30 events/hour. It works best for patients who have an overbite. It is contraindicated in patients with TMJ dysfunction. They are comfortable, small, and the treatment is non-invasive. They are not usually covered by insurance costing from $2,000 to $3,000. These devices should by made and fitted by dentists with experience. Dr. Asmi has a list of experienced and competent dentists he trusts.
How do I verify insurance coverage?
Most insurance companies, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, provide coverage for sleep studies. But patients should always verify their coverage benefits before a study is done by calling the member-benefits contact at their insurance company. The representative should be asked about outpatient sleep study coverage and coverage benefits under the CPT insurance codes of 95810 or 95811.