An Attorney urges Congress to end sleep apnea claims 'abuse'

Another committee member asked Hughes to explain the link between sleep apnea and military service.

"I don't think there is any medical link to service," he said. "There is not something we can point to in service that actually causes sleep apnea."

So smoking can cause it.

But us being exposed daily to burn pits, fuel, fume exhausts from jets, plane, vehicles, ect couldn't possibly be a link to how it is service connected? Idiots. They should see what some of us are exposed to daily and while deployed.
 
In addition to those above listed conditions, TBI and mTBI are common contributing factors for sleep apnea, there are multitudes of peer reviewed studies to support sleep disorders that are related to chronic TBI.
 
maparker said:
It does not matter if service caused it or not. The question is did the condition begin or become aggravated while on active duty/entitled to basic pay.

Mike
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Yeah, that is what really bothers me about this...it seems that they are ignoring the entire body of law and the presumptions that have been developed over many decades and are focusing on an alleged "problem" that does not exist.

And, as I posted above, the numbers being thrown around on this point are dead wrong (if the published statistics are to be credited):http://www.pebforum.com/site/thread...nd-sleep-apnea-claims-abuse.19757/#post-98258
 
I was diagnosed with OSA after my TBI. Never had a hard time sleeping before my TBI. Except I also get them sneaky central apneas that my machine don't do anything for, so I still sleep like crap and stop breathing frequently. Oh well, it looks like I have some time to get through this process.
Makes me wonder though, if my TBI or its residuals were to be eligible for CRSC, could I also claim the 50% OSA if the evidence points to it being secondary to the TBI?
 
Zomglawlz said:
I was diagnosed with OSA after my TBI. Never had a hard time sleeping before my TBI. Except I also get them sneaky central apneas that my machine don't do anything for, so I still sleep like crap and stop breathing frequently. Oh well, it looks like I have some time to get through this process.
Makes me wonder though, if my TBI or its residuals were to be eligible for CRSC, could I also claim the 50% OSA if the evidence points to it being secondary to the TBI?
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I, too, have both OSA and central apnea. With a TBI, you are most surely ("don't call me Shirley" :)) suffering more central than obstructive apnea. I feel your pain on the CPAP/BIPAP not being as effective as we would like it to be.
 
Zomglawlz said:
I was diagnosed with OSA after my TBI. Never had a hard time sleeping before my TBI. Except I also get them sneaky central apneas that my machine don't do anything for, so I still sleep like crap and stop breathing frequently. Oh well, it looks like I have some time to get through this process.
Makes me wonder though, if my TBI or its residuals were to be eligible for CRSC, could I also claim the 50% OSA if the evidence points to it being secondary to the TBI?
Click to expand...

usafaviator said:
I, too, have both OSA and central apnea. With a TBI, you are most surely ("don't call me Shirley" :)) suffering more central than obstructive apnea. I feel your pain on the CPAP/BIPAP not being as effective as we would like it to be.
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Indeed; for sure! ;)

Since diagnosed with OSA with CPAP in 2010 while on active duty and clearly documented mTBI cognitive impairment issues after combat deployments, it's been a very difficult challenge to use the OSA CPAP machine due to the multitude of severe physical combat-related injuries.

That said, I foresee experiencing significant challenges with the DoVA upon validation of OSA CPAP machine use when my status officially changes to a military veteran disability retiree unless a resolution (in my case) is determined while I am still on active duty.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Zomglawlz said:
I was diagnosed with OSA after my TBI. Never had a hard time sleeping before my TBI. Except I also get them sneaky central apneas that my machine don't do anything for, so I still sleep like crap and stop breathing frequently. Oh well, it looks like I have some time to get through this process.
Makes me wonder though, if my TBI or its residuals were to be eligible for CRSC, could I also claim the 50% OSA if the evidence points to it being secondary to the TBI?
Click to expand...

An interesting point as bold texted above, in my opinion! ;)

That said, I would include the OSA with CPAP medical condition with your application for CRSC. The potential worst case scenario is to receive a denial decision on the OSA with CPAP medical condition.

To that extent, I wasn't tracking my OSA with CPAP for potential submission on my forthcoming CRSC application; but, now I shall at this point in time. Thanks for the insight! :)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
I agree that these situations get blown well out of proportion. Claims are going to rise because they are constantly turning new soldiers over. The military has to have one of the highest turnover rates of any profession. They keep washing people through the middle east and crank out new vets every day. There are going to be more people making claims, and I also agree that more people have become of the available services that we once had no clue about. I have to wonder why people like this don't spend their time chasing after serious issues. I don't agree with anyone being a fraud and taking any part of the system for a ride if they don't deserve it but at the same time there has to be bigger issues to focus on right now.
 
Someone with sleep apnea can die in their sleep. I am proud Mr. Webster's dad was a tough guy and all but as bad it was for him to have lost an arm his loss of that arm wouldn't kill him while he was asleep or make him so dam tired the next day he would fall asleep at a red light on his way to work. I went years with a CPAP and now that I have one I don't know how I lived, and actually didn't die in my sleep, for so long without one.
 
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