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You Snooze, You Lose: Insurers Make The Old Adage Literally True
propublica.org ^ | 11/21/18 | Marshall Allen

Posted on 11/21/2018 2:01:28 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt

Millions of sleep apnea patients rely on CPAP breathing machines to get a good night’s rest.
Health insurers use a variety of tactics, including surveillance, to make patients bear the costs.
Experts say it’s part of the insurance industry playbook.

Last March, Tony Schmidt discovered something unsettling about the machine that helps him breathe at night.
Without his knowledge, it was spying on him.

From his bedside, the device was tracking when he was using it and sending the information not just to his doctor,
but to the maker of the machine, to the medical supply company that provided it and to his health insurer.

(Excerpt) Read more at propublica.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Reference
KEYWORDS: cpap; healthcare; insurance; sleepapnea; surveillance; surveillancedevice
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Schmidt, an information technology specialist from Carrollton, Texas, was shocked.
“I had no idea they were sending my information across the wire.”

As many CPAP users discover, the life-altering device comes with caveats:
Health insurance companies are often tracking whether patients use them.
If they aren’t, the insurers might not cover the machines or the supplies that go with them.

Patients have been required to rent CPAPs at rates that total much more than the retail price of the devices,
or they’ve discovered that the supplies would be substantially cheaper
if they didn’t have insurance at all.

“The doctors and providers are not in control of medicine anymore,” said Harry Lawrence,
owner of Advanced Oxy-Med Services, a New York company that provides CPAP supplies.
“It’s strictly the insurance companies. They call the shots.”(Emphasis Mine)

1 posted on 11/21/2018 2:01:29 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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I recommend you go to the ProPublica site for additional information on medical insurance Surveillance
and the loss of privacy !
2 posted on 11/21/2018 2:03:53 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
Health insurance companies are often tracking whether patients use them. If they aren’t, the insurers might not cover the machines or the supplies that go with them.

If they aren't using them they should stop making the insurance company pay for them.

3 posted on 11/21/2018 2:04:10 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Democracy dies when Democrats refuse to accept the result of a democratic election they didn't win.)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
I have a CPAP that I have used since 1999. At least I know it isn't reporting back, because it isn't Wi-Fi enabled.

In fact, I had to go into the hospital in early 2000 and I had to bring my CPAP with me. The hospital equipment tech had to examine it, then put a sticker on it that read "Y2K Compliant."

4 posted on 11/21/2018 2:04:17 PM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

I never buy or rent equipment from a doctors office.

So much cheaper getting it yourself.


5 posted on 11/21/2018 2:04:33 PM PST by 2banana (Were you)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

“I had no idea they were sending my information across the wire.”

The company who supplied my CPAP machine was very clear on who was getting the data and who had authority to change its settings. I get usage report emails from my local provider and they are no doubt getting the data from a server that is run by the manufacturer (or whoever they contract operations to).

Schmidt must not be much of an “IT specialist” if he doesn’t understand these things.


6 posted on 11/21/2018 2:09:04 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Shut off your WiFi router before going to bed.
Problem solved.


7 posted on 11/21/2018 2:12:31 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

ProPublica is to the left of everyone, but this is a good report.


8 posted on 11/21/2018 2:19:19 PM PST by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Unless you log the machine into your WiFi how would that help?


9 posted on 11/21/2018 2:20:22 PM PST by raybbr (That progressive bumper sticker on your car might just as wll say, "Yes, I'm THAT stupid!"to)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

My daughter’s has a cellular modem in it.

I kinda figured if we and the doc could get the info so could the insurance company.

But blocking wifi does nothing. We even got data from it when she was tent camping in the middle of no where.


10 posted on 11/21/2018 2:22:08 PM PST by cableguymn (We need a redneck in the white house....)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
Shut off your WiFi router before going to bed.

The one my wife uses is not WiFi, it's cellular. The insurance company required a certain percentage of use for the first year. The usage is still tracked by the doctor, but not the insurance company.

11 posted on 11/21/2018 2:24:49 PM PST by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: raybbr
Unless you log the machine into your WiFi how would that help?

They're cellular, not WiFi. Both the doctor and insurance company were very up front about the use and monitoring requirements.

12 posted on 11/21/2018 2:27:05 PM PST by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Which is why I now buy my supplies from online sources. Guess I need to figure out how to break into the machine and disable the radio before it reports me to the sleepstapo.


13 posted on 11/21/2018 2:29:09 PM PST by Kommodor (Terrorist, Journalist or Democrat? I can't tell the difference.)
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To: IYAS9YAS

I’ve had one for a couple of years or more.

Other than the manufacturer bugging about new and overpriced parts, not a peep from insurance or the specialty clinic.

It has made such a difference. I had no idea that I was so messed up.


14 posted on 11/21/2018 2:29:13 PM PST by wally_bert (I will competently make sure the thing is done incompetently.)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Creepy, though yes, most people I know who have got them seldom use them. And I am yet to meet someone who has been evaluated on sleep who hasn’t been told they need one!


15 posted on 11/21/2018 2:31:03 PM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: Drango
Drango : "ProPublica is to the left of everyone, but this is a good report."

I agree about ProPublica
The crux of the article is about electronic devises
but the more serious concern is about the mark up of medical devices by intermediaries and insurance companies.
This would include insurance rental mark up of knee braces, hearing aids, walkers, wheelchairs, lift chairs, and a lot of other medical devices
until you run up expenses beyond your "Donut Hole", and are then personally financially responsible
for these exorbitant medical insurance expenses.

It happens !

16 posted on 11/21/2018 2:35:47 PM PST by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
Our doctor told us all about it and since his company is not authorized to sell the things there was no conflict of interests. He also told us how it can be disabled but that doing it might result in the company we bought it from having to report to the insurance company we were not using it.

I am surprised that this supposed IT specialist did not think that his machine was reporting back.

After the first year you can disable the reporting if you feel the need to do so.

17 posted on 11/21/2018 2:41:04 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, and somewhere else the tea is getting cold.)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

That was part of the agreement when I got mine. The doctor’s staff, insurance papers, and provider all pointed it out multiple times.


18 posted on 11/21/2018 2:45:10 PM PST by Ingtar
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Most of the newer models have as cell connection.


19 posted on 11/21/2018 2:45:52 PM PST by Ingtar
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Insurance companies are now also offering $25.00 Apple iWatches, as well.

I told hubby that it’s to monitor heart rate. Etc.

They’ve come out with so many new health monitoring apps, for iwatch.

I bet within a few years, insurance companies will mandate fitbits or iWatch, for coverage.


20 posted on 11/21/2018 2:46:07 PM PST by Jane Long (Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow.)
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