No one wants to face a surprising health care costs bill. Health care costs can vary and can be very confusing as they are a match between health care providers and insurance companies. So, if you are experiencing some sleep apnea symptoms or you have been diagnosed with this sleep disorder, you might be interested in learning about the costs which await you. The cost of sleep apnea treatments can vary and depends on the options, such as CPAP therapy, oral appliances, or surgery. Hence, let’s take a closer look at the costs associated with sleep apnea treatments.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is crucial if you don’t want to be surprised by unexpected costs. Thus, check with your insurer about your insurance coverage for the office visit, testing and treatment of sleep disorders. Moreover, you can also contact the sleep specialist’s billing team to know how much will the whole procedure cost, even before being seen, tested, or treated.

Moreover, it’s important to keep the copies or deductible. The coverage for durable medical equipment (DME) depends on your insurer’s policies as many policies cover only 80 to 90 percent of DME costs. Likewise, there are also treatments which may be excluded from coverage. So, when considering which sleep apnea treatment is best for you, make sure you have a consultation with a board-certified sleep physician and diagnostic testing. The expenses might vary from hundreds to thousands of dollars, while most insurances will cover some or all of these costs. Once it is determined that you need treatment, it becomes possible to consider your options.

Select the Proper Sleep Apnea Treatment

Cost should not be a barrier to seeking proper treatment. Therefore, you should do your best to select the best possible treatment for your sleep disorder. So, when considering the sleep apnea treatment, you should get help from your sleep specialist, who will review your symptoms, physical examination findings, and test results to help you choose the right therapy. Thanks to them, you’ll be able to save time and money.

So, we decided to list the most common treatment options for the management of obstructive sleep apnea and their cost. Note that the numbers might vary based on regional or international differences, as well as, other factors. Hence, always review your costs with both your treatment supplier and your insurance provider.

CPAP Machine

The CPAP machine is the most effective and most popular treatment for sleep apnea. It is replaced every 5 years by insurance, while insurance usually pays 80 to 90 percent of these estimated costs under DME coverage.

Hence, you can find a CPAP machine without humidifier from less than $300, while the standard models exceeding $400. The CPAP with humidifier costs from $600 to $850 (average $700 to $750). Auto CPAP costs from $400 to $900 (average $700 to $850), while travel CPAP usually costs from $500 to $850, but it’s not covered by insurance.

The Bi-level and ASV are more sophisticated and expensive models of PAP therapy. Consequently, if you opt for Bi-level therapy, you should expect to pay from $875 $2,000, while the costs for ASV might exceed $3,000 to $4,500.

Additionally, except the initial set up of the CPAP machine, you’ll need to get a number of other ongoing supplies, including a mask, tubing, humidifier, cleaner, and filter.

The CPAP mask is replaced every 3 months and the costs depend on the style. They usually cost from $25 to $175. Additionally, you’ll also need a mask cushion which costs from $10 to $60 and is replaced every 2 to 4 weeks, a heated tubing which comes from $25 to $60 and is replaced every 3 months, a reusable filter which is replaced every 6 months and its cost ranges from $5 to $10, while a disposable filter is replaced every 2 to 4 weeks and costs $1 to $4. Moreover, you will also need a humidifier chamber, whose price varied from $20 to $40 and is replaced every 6 months, and a CPAP cleaner which isn’t covered by insurance, and may not be necessary. It’s price varies and the most often used ones are VirtuClean: $279, SoClean 2: $319, SoClean 2 Go: $219, Lumin: $249.

There are some additional supplies you might also need, including chinstrap, strap or tubing wraps or covers, mask liners, and nasal pad, which generally cost from $20 to $50.

Oral Appliance

An oral appliance is an effective treatment for people with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. So, you should first consult with a specialty dentist, which will be followed by the creation of plaster molds, fabrication costs of the appliance itself, and multiple visits to adjust the settings and ensure an optimal response to treatment without side effects.

Thus, mouth guards for bruxism cost from $400 to $500, while oral appliance for sleep apnea cost from $2,000 to $3,000. However, there are many inexpensive options available, whose price ranges from $10 to $100, but they aren’t recommended for long-term use.

Surgery

The surgery costs aren’t publicly accessible and we cannot state for sure who much a surgical procedure for sleep apnea can cost. However, you might need to break the bank for some of these treatments. You can expect to pay from $30,000 to $40,000 for the surgery costs associated with placement of the Inspire hypoglossal nerve stimulator. On the other hand, jaw surgery might cost from $80,000 to $100,000.

Some minor nasal surgeries or throat surgery, including nasal septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and soft palate surgery can cost up to $10,000.

Alternative Sleep Apnea Treatments

There are also other treatments which can modestly improve sleep apnea and their cost is significantly lower. Some of the alternative treatments can cost less than a few hundred dollars and they include allergy treatment, weight loss, positional therapy, breathe right strips, and sleeping wedge pillow.

Considering the costs of untreated sleep apnea, you might better get a diagnosis and select an appropriate treatment.