Costs
The Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health has two patient categories for billing purposes: public and private. If a patient has private health insurance they are a private patient. Public patients have their overnight study at the RGH, whilst private patients have their overnight study at the Ashford Hospital.
Public Patient Costs
Overnight Studies
The out of pocket expense for a public patient having an overnight sleep study at the RGH is $75. For patients with a health care card the out of pocket expense is $25. Patients having a follow up appointment in the RGH outpatients department either prior or after their overnight sleep study are bulk billed with no out of pocket expense.
Daytime Studies
All patients having a daytime study are considered as public patients. Their out of pocket expenses vary depending on the type of study. Patients having a MWT (Maintenance Wakefulness Tests) or a MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency Tests) will have an out of pocket expense of $40 or $10 for concession card holders. Patients having a home autotitration CPAP study will have an out of pocket expense of $36 or $10 for concession card holders.
Paediatric studies for children between the ages of 12 and 18 will have an out of pocket expense of $50. Children under the age of 12 are reviewed at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Private Patient Costs
Patients with private health insurance having an overnight sleep study at the Ashford Hospital will not have an out of pocket expense, however they will need to pay their excess fee (predetermined by their private health insurer) on the night of their sleep study. Patients having a follow up appointment at the Ashford Specialist Centre either prior or after their overnight sleep study will have an out of pocket expense of $20.00 for initial appointments and $10.00 for subsequent appointments.
Veterans Costs
There is no charge for Veterans having an overnight or daytime study at the RGH.
Equipment Purchase
The cost of CPAP devices
Patients with OSA who are holders of a Health Care Card or Pension Card or have Veteran entitlements, and who meet the hospital's medical criteria may be eligible for provision of CPAP equipment through their treating hospital or the Department of Veteran Affairs (Veterans only). The treating specialist will advise patients regarding their eligibility. Patients who do not meet these eligibility criteria will need to purchase their own equipment.
As with any appliance the cost of CPAP can vary according to the brand, the features of the unit and the accessories required. The advances in technology mean that current basic CPAP units have all the necessary features to effectively treat the majority of patients. Some patients may need a heated humidifier to relieve nasal problems or dryness and these can be purchased as a combined unit with the CPAP or as a separate item at a later date (this usually works out to be a little more expensive).
Below is a guide to cost of purchasing equipment:
- Standard CPAP Pump - between $950 -$1500
- Auto CPAP Pump - between $1800-$1900
- Nasal masks - between $225-$290
- Full face masks - around $300
- Humidifier - between $250-$380
Hiring Equipment
Most of the major supply companies will allow you to hire and trial equipment, including masks, at a reasonable cost before you decide upon purchase. This cost is often redeemable upon purchase of the equipment. You may also be required to provide a deposit as security, refundable upon return of the equipment. Initial set up fees and practice may vary greatly between the suppliers so it is advisable to phone and shop around before deciding. Total set up costs can range from $100-$400.
This information is provided as a guide only. Please contact the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health for specific information relating to your case.