Coronavirus conversation with sleep clinic medical director Dr. Clete Kushida
On March 20, 2020, AASM Public Safety Committee Chair Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula and Vice Chair Dr. Shannon Sullivan talked with Dr. Clete Kushida, medical director of the Stanford Sleep Clinic in California, to discuss how his team is [...]
CMS announces relief for clinicians and facilities participating in quality payment program in response to COVID-19
On Monday, March 23, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid announced relief for clinicians, providers and facilities participating in Medicare quality reporting programs, as health care professionals battle COVID-19. This relief will include granting exceptions and extensions for upcoming [...]
Digital treatment for insomnia receives FDA clearance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the first prescription-based digital therapeutic for the treatment of chronic insomnia in adults, according to a press release from the product developer, Pear Therapeutics. Somryst, formerly SHUTi, uses cognitive behavioral therapy [...]
AASM congratulates top JCSM reviewers of 2019
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates top reviewer Lourdes M. DelRosso, MD, and the other reviewers who made the greatest contributions in 2019 to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, which is the official peer-reviewed publication of the AASM. [...]
Private payers announce coverage for testing and treatment of COVID-19
Many private payers have shared announcements regarding coverage of testing and treatment for COVID-19. Some policies include: Waiving co-pays for COVID-19 testing Expanding scope of contracted lab partners to support access to testing Confirming that prior authorization and/or referrals [...]
Submission deadline for 2019 CMS Quality Payment Program is March 31
Eligible clinicians and groups can submit Quality Payment Program (QPP) data, including data for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Performance Year 2019. All program participants will be able [...]
Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider – March 21, 2020
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider keeps members informed about current AASM initiatives and the latest developments in the field of sleep medicine. Mitigation strategies: Sleep clinics & labs The AASM has posted guidance to help sleep [...]
In Memoriam: Mark Mahowald, MD (1937 – 2020)
The AASM regrets to announce the passing of longtime AASM member and sleep medicine leader Mark Mahowald, MD, on March 18, 2020. He was a world-renowned sleep physician, researcher and educator who had an enormous impact on the field [...]
CMS expands Medicare coverage for telemedicine due to COVID-19
On March 17, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced expanded Medicare telemedicine coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of health care services from their doctors without having to travel to a health care [...]
AASM advocates for CMS waiver for in-person PAP follow-up
Today the American Academy of Sleep Medicine submitted a request to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, urging CMS to issue a Section 1135 waiver of the positive airway pressure (PAP) requirements for in-person clinical re-evaluation. A waiver [...]
Coronavirus FAQs: CPAP tips for sleep apnea patients
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Public Safety Committee is responding to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the coronavirus (COVID-19). The following questions were submitted by patients who have obstructive sleep apnea. The AASM encourages you to follow [...]
COVID-19 information for sleep medicine clinicians
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Public Safety Committee is responding to frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help sleep clinicians and accredited sleep facilities address the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As much as possible, the AASM [...]
Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider – March 14, 2020
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider keeps members informed about current AASM initiatives and the latest developments in the field of sleep medicine. Statement: COVID-19 and SLEEP 2020 On March 6, the APSS posted a statement about [...]
Case Study of the Month – March 2020
The AASM Case Study of the Month for March involves a 19-year-old female who presented to a sleep clinic with her parents two months before she was due to leave home for the first time to attend university. Her [...]
APSS statement: COVID-19 and SLEEP 2020
UPDATE - March 17, 2020: The APSS has posted an updated statement online, indicating that a final decision about the status of SLEEP 2020 will be made on or before May 13, which is one month before the meeting [...]
Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider – March 7, 2020
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider keeps members informed about current AASM initiatives and the latest developments in the field of sleep medicine. Cast your vote in leadership election The 2020 - 2021 AASM leadership election is [...]
Cast your vote in the AASM leadership election
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine invites all eligible voting members to participate in the 2020 - 2021 AASM leadership election. In fall 2019, the AASM announced a call for nominations for vacancies on the Board of Directors and [...]
Walmart takes on health care delivery
America’s largest company is trying to tackle one of the nation’s most complex issues — health care. In January, Walmart opened its second health center, offering primary and urgent care; dental, vision and hearing treatment; labs; X-rays; and other [...]
Oral device to treat sleep apnea cleared by FDA
Australian-based Oventus has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an oral device to treat obstructive sleep apnea, according to a Sept. 2, 2019, company statement. The O2Vent Optima is a customized, 3D-printed, nylon oral device [...]
Walgreens attempts to connect customers to sleep solutions
Hoping to improve the nation’s sleep and expand its services to consumers, Walgreens has added sleep disorders to the growing list of chronic conditions it can help treat. The pharmacy’s digital platform, Find Care, connects consumers to health services [...]
Artificial intelligence could enhance diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders
DARIEN, IL – Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve efficiencies and precision in sleep medicine, resulting in more patient-centered care and better outcomes, according to a new position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Published online [...]
Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider – February 29, 2020
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine Weekly Insider keeps members informed about current AASM initiatives and the latest developments in the field of sleep medicine. Last chance to renew for 2020! Your membership has expired, but it’s not too [...]
FDA questions safety of CPAP cleaning devices using ozone or ultraviolet light
Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a safety communication and consumer update to inform patients and health care providers about concerns related to CPAP cleaning devices that use ozone or ultraviolet light. CPAP is a common treatment [...]
Consumer sleep technology: Guidance for sleep clinicians
The consumer sleep technology industry is exploding, with both large corporations and small start-up companies continuing to introduce new apps and devices to capture a share of the market. To provide context for understanding the role of consumer sleep [...]
Fitbit expands efforts to track your sleep
Smartwatches just aren’t counting steps, they’re also trying to track your sleep. Fitbit, a leading wearable device company, now includes a sleep tracking feature in its Versa 2 smartwatch. It uses sensors, algorithms and intuitive technologies to evaluate the [...]