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Add in the bean counters at insurance companies determining what tests and treatments people get and when they can get them. My recent foray into sleep apnea has been an eye opener...
My wife works in sleep medicine, business end of a large sleep lab. They try to stay in the rural areas but sleep seems to be at the low end of the priority scale. And some insurance will only pay for in lab after the person fails all the cheaper home tests.
Good luck getting help with the apnea.
Appreciate the kind words. I found out about the "in home" versus "in lab" situation right on the front end. The practice I am working with had a cancellation for an "in lab" test the day that I saw the doc. Could have had a test that night. But Insurance required an in-home test, first. Next open schedule for the in-lab was almost 2 months out. Fortunately, I passed (failed?) the in-home test. So, no need to wait 2 months for the lab test.
Next, doctor ordered a BIPAP. However insurance said I have try a CPAP for at least 30 days. And if that fails, THEN they'll authorize a BIPAP. Three weeks in with a CPAP and still struggling with the high pressure exhalation that the BIPAP is supposed to address... Grrrr...
Sorry for the vent...
