Briefly...

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Jun 14, 2023

Research: ResMed Reports 200+ Million Women have Mild OSA

At June’s SLEEP 2023 conference in Indianapolis, ResMed presented a global multi-study analysis “estimating that more than 200 million women worldwide have mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA),” the company said in a June 8 announcement. “That equals 13.4 percent of women between ages 30 and 70, or more than one in eight.”

ResMed said females with OSA tend to have milder cases than males with OSA. “They present lower AHIs [apnea-hypopnea index, the combined average number of apneas and hypopneas during an hour of sleep], less oxygen desaturations, and different symptoms like fatigue and insomnia. This means females with mild OSA may face the risk of underdiagnosis and undertreatment.”

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Future CMS Open Door Forums to Be Held Via Zoom

Going forward, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold its Open Door Forums via the Zoom videoconference platform. In a June 8 announcement, CMS said, “There will now be a Zoom registration link where we ask you to enter your name, organization, and e-mail address. After registering, you will have the option to add an appointment to your calendar using a drop-down button, or copy and paste the Join link for when it’s time to log on or dial in for an Open Door Forum Webinar.”

CMS added that Open Door Forums will continue to field live questions and that CMS will continue to provide Webinar recordings and transcripts after the events.

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HME Associations Endorse S. 1294

The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) has reported that 25 national, regional, and state HME associations have endorsed S. 1294, the Competitive Bidding Relief Act of 2023. AAHomecare is asking stakeholders and advocates to ask their Senators to co-sponsor the bill in June and July.