Information for Standalone Home Sleep Apnea Testing Facilities

Medical Services Plan Billing (MSP) and Current Moratorium on standalone Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT) Facility Applications – See announcement here.

Who Can Order a Home Sleep Apnea Test?

Only authorized health professionals are permitted to submit referrals for Level III HSAT studies. Authorized health professionals are limited to:

• Registrants of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC (Family and Specialist Physicians) 
• Nurse practitioners registered with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, and 
• Naturopathic physicians registered with the College of Naturopathic Physicians of BC
  • Note: when an HSAT is ordered by a Naturopath, the test is not covered by the Medical Services Plan. Other restrictions also apply. For more details, see Update to authorized health professionals permitted to submit HSAT referrals (PDF, 289KB)

HSAT Re-Testing

Some extended health providers have, at times, required patients previously diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea  (OSA) to obtain a new positive diagnostic test to be eligible for reimbursement for a replacement sleep disorder breathing device, such as a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine.

In June 2022, the Medical Services Commission wrote to all known extended health insurance providers operating in British Columbia and informed them that, as OSA is a chronic condition, any requirement to retest previously diagnosed patients for the purpose of replacement device coverage was contrary to best clinical practices and not insured by the Medical Services Plan (for both retesting and for referrals related to retesting). To see the full text of the Commission’s letter, click here (PDF, 99KB).