recent medicare decision in the u.s will greatly increase the...

recent medicare decision in the u.s will greatly increase the demand for somnomed sleep apnea device.



17 March 2008, Sydney: SomnoMed Limited (ASX: SOM), maker of sleep apnoea devices
worldwide, could benefit tremendously from a recent decision by the US-based Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to subsidise medical devices following a positive at-home sleep test. This means that a patient with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can be prescribed with a
treatment device based on data collected from home testing kits.
SomnoMed's MAS (mandibular advancement splint) is the market's leading alternative to the often-
cumbersome CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy. The decision to accept home testing will create a dramatic increase in the number of sleep disorder studies, allowing for a
cheaper and convenient method of assessing the patient.
Ralf Barschow, chief executive of SomnoMed, said "This decision by Medicare in the US will have
a huge impact on the sleep apnoea market. Now, patients do not need to wait months to get an
appointment at a sleep centre, and pay the hefty fees associated with the diagnosis. As a result, the number of patients who can be quickly and effectively diagnosed will rise dramatically. This will
lead to a general increase in the demand for treatment of OSA. The SomnoMed MAS is the best
alternative treatment to CPAP, which many patients simply cannot tolerate. We, therefore, welcome the acceptance of home sleep tests by the US Medicare very much and expect that it will
accelerate the demand for the SomnoMed dental sleep apnea device in the US."