The Saskatchewan government is adjusting its approach to sleep apnea services.
In the 2017-18 provincial budget, it was announced that the government would only provide continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) coverage for low-income residents.
“Following consultation with respirologists and review of processes in other jurisdictions, we’ve determined that the same annual savings could be achieved from an alternate approach,” Saskatchewan Health Minister Jim Reiter said in a press release.
“This approach will reduce costs for patients and allow better access for those who need it, while still achieving the same savings for the province.”
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Starting Oct. 1, Saskatchewan patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea will be able to purchase a CPAP machine at a discount through the government’s bulk purchasing process.
With the revised approach, patients will be able to receive one of the flow generators on loan at a cost of $275 for the life of the machine. The full retail price of a CPAP machine is around $1,500.
Officials said sleep apnea services will still be fully covered for low-income residents receiving supplementary and family health benefits.