Nasal Mask Selection

Getting Reimbursed for
Your DME Expenses

Philadelphia (Dec. 14, 2000) -- Mark A. Bristow, a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Director of Operations for Miller Medical and Respiratory, 3200 Kensington Ave., will be the guest speaker at the January 10, 2001 Awake In Philly Sleep Apnea Support Group meeting. A.W.A.K.E. is an acronym for Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic.

"Nasal CPAP or BiPAP Masks: Fitting, Selection, Coverage, and Reimbursement" will be the topic for this month's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., with refreshments available from 6:30 p.m. for those attending the meeting.

The meeting will be held in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's Surgical Conference Room, located in the White Building. Entering through the main entrance, turn right immediately once inside the lobby and proceed down the hallway. For detailed directions, someone at the Information Desk, located in the main lobby, can assist.

When it comes to nasal CPAP or BiPAP masks, fitting and selection are crucial elements in the process, as compliance with the nasal CPAP or BiPAP therapy often depends on comfort while wearing the mask.

In his work at Miller Medical, Mark gets to work one-on-one with CPAP or BiPAP users, helping them to adjust to the therapy, as well as assisting in selection and fitting.

Improper fitting of a nasal CPAP or BiPAP mask can lead to tenderness and skin abrasions, in addition to the biggest problem most users suffer: air leaks, which can cause conjunctivitis, as well as just be irritating.

Mark will be bringing a variety of nasal CPAP or BiPAP masks to the meeting for display and demonstration purposes.

Directly related to mask selection and fitting is paying for the mask. Most masks are priced at more than $100, and are not always covered under insurance. Mark will be discussion various coverage for nasal xPAP masks, as well as reimbursement.

Sleep disorders are more prevalent than most people realize. Researchers in the field of sleep medicine believe one in five people suffer from at least one sleep disorder. Those disorders include:

Sleep disorders rob us of the sleep we need. Sleep disorders -- disturbances of sleep and wakefulness - can have a disruptive and devastating effect on a person's life. Untreated and undiagnosed sleep apnea, can impact a person's life in many ways, including excessive daytime sleepiness, heart and lung damage, increased risk of stroke and high blood pressure, memory loss, weight gain, the potential for greater involvement in traffic accidents because of tiredness, sexual dysfunction, mood swings, decrease in productivity, and more.

Mark, who earned his Associate's degree in Respiratory Therapy and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, has been working as a respiratory therapist for 25 years years. During that time, Mark has worked in the hospital and home health care industry, and has been working with xPAP devices since they came into use.

Sponsors for Awake In Philly, in alphabetical order, include Alpine Medical of Bensalem, PA.; B.F. Ascher & Co., Inc.; Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Inc.; Penn Center for Sleep Disorders; Respironics, Inc.; SleepNet Corp; and TalkAboutSleep.com.

A copy of John Weidman's book, Desperately Seeking Snoozin': The Insomnia Cure from Awake to Zzzz, will be given away at the meeting. TalkAboutSleep.com donated the book to Awake In Philly for giveaway at the meeting.

Miller Medical and Respiratory will be providing refreshments for the evening's meeting.

The University of Pennsylvania is conveniently located on several SEPTA bus and trolley routes, as well as being conveniently located near SEPTA train stations, as well. For public transportation to Penn, please contact SEPTA at 215-580-7800 or visit the SEPTA website at http://www.septa.org.

Awake In Philly is one of more than 200 local support groups in the national A.W.A.K.E. network, which is affiliated with the American Sleep Apnea Association, based in Washington, D.C.

A.W.A.K.E. groups are designed to offer support to anyone who must deal with the impact of sleep apnea or other disorders, including the patient, the spouse, a co-worker or supervisor, researchers, physicians, attorneys, among others. Everyone is encouraged to attend the meetings.