• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Subscribe to the Journal
  • Contact Us
Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy

Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy

Official Publication of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy

Trucking Lobby Pushes Back Again on Sleep Apnea Testing

October 10, 2014 by admin

 

With HR 3095 signed, sealed, and delivered, truckers flexed their legislative muscle yet again, convincing two U.S. Reps to write a letter on their behalf contending that certified medical examiners were skirting the law “by telling examiners to test truckers for sleep apnea.”

 

It all comes back to the bill that prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from “implementing or enforcing a requirement providing for the screening, testing or treatment of individuals operating commercial motor vehicles for sleep disorders only if the requirement is adopted pursuant to the rulemaking proceeding.”

 

An article in a trucking industry trade magazine Land Line by David Tanner reiterated that there is to be no mandate or guidance for apnea testing without going through the formal rulemaking and public comment process. “It has come to my attention, however, that organizations that provide training for certified medical examiners are circumventing HR3095,” the lawmakers stated in the letter addressed to acting FMCSA Administrator Scott Darling. “Specifically, the instructions they are providing clearly indicate that examiners should follow the obstructive sleep apnea guidance originally published by FMCSA on April 20, 2012 (and subsequently rescinded on April 27, 2012).”

 

“Since May 21, many drivers have told OOIDA’s regulatory team that their medical examiners are ordering sleep tests based on a driver’s weight, body-mass index, neck size, overbite, snoring and other criteria,” writes Tanner. “Bucshon and Lipinski point out in their letter how some medical training organizations are associated with sleep labs.”

Bucshon and Lipinski are reportedly urging the FMCSA to take three steps to correct problems:

• Communicate to all approved training organizations that examiners are not to be instructed to follow any specific steps with respect to sleep apnea testing and treatment;

• Instruct approved training organizations to remove all references to MRB, MCSAC and FMCSA recommendations on sleep apnea from their training materials; and

• Provide specific instructions to examiners who have already been trained to correct the previous training they received. (source: Bucshon and Lipinski letter).

“It is imperative that FMCSA address these issues as soon as possible,” the lawmakers stated. “These faulty training courses are keeping qualified drivers off the road. We would request a written response as to how FMCSA plans to address these issues and their progress in this endeavor.”

Filed Under: Articles, Blog

Primary Sidebar

More to See

Snoring, American Sleep and Breathing Academy and the NY Times

August 23, 2022 By admin

Jazz Pharma Presents 17 New Posters for SLEEP 2022

June 6, 2022 By admin

Tags

apnea CPAP Health Home Sleep Home Sleep Testing insomnia narcolepsy obstructive sleep apnea Sleep sleep apnea sleep apnea symptoms sleep apnea syndrome sleep apnea treatment sleep appliances sleep buisness Sleep Business sleep center Sleep Centers sleep community sleep diagnosis sleep diagnostic sleep diagnostics sleep disease sleep disorder sleep disorder center sleep disordered breathing sleep disorders sleep heart health sleep industry sleeping Sleep Lab sleep labs sleep management sleep medicine sleep monitor sleep physicians sleep problems sleep studies sleep study sleep technologist sleep test sleep testing Technology therapy Treatment

Footer

About SleepDT

SleepDT Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy is a clinical Journal for allied Sleep Professionals, Neurologists, Psychiatrists, Pulmonologists, Primary Care Physicians, and other medical specialists. We also advocate on behalf of patient care in the field of Sleep Medicine

Recent

  • SUPPORT AND PROMOTE DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE IN 2023!
  • Snoring, American Sleep and Breathing Academy and the NY Times
  • Jazz Pharma Presents 17 New Posters for SLEEP 2022
  • AJMC Hypes SLEEP 2022
  • Avadel Pharmaceuticals’ Stock Falls

NAVIGATION

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Subscribe to the Journal
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 · Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy