In the midst of multiple closures and cancellations due to concerns about spread of the corona virus, proper sleep is still a major concern. With orders to shelter-in-place in many parts of the country, positional sleep therapy emerges as an easy first step on the path toward better sleep. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has undergone temporary changes. One main provision is the federal government’s immediate suspension of “HIPAA enforcement and penalties to facilitate the use of telehealth for health care services in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”

It all means that patients can easily take advantage of telehealth consultations and obtain slumberBUMP positional therapy, with or without a prescription. In fact, people who already know they need a simple and effective product that allows them to sleep comfortably on their side, slumberBUMP can even be obtained without a telehealth visit. 

In contrast, CPAP requires a prescription and fine tuning (called titration) along with a mask that must be worn all night. Even less invasive oral appliances must be fabricated in labs with specifications from  trained dentists to ensure maximum efficacy. With all these factors at play, slumberBUMP emerges as a simple and effective solution to get patients sleeping on their sides. 

“Even if patients are already using CPAP and/or oral appliances, sleeping on the side using our inflatable bladder system [slumberBUMP] makes clinical sense,” says Shad Morris, DMD, president and CEO, slumberBUMP, St. George, Utah. “For patients who don’t want to go out to a doctor’s office, a telehealth visit and use of a slumberBUMP is logical as a first step. In some cases, positional sleep therapy is the final solution. For others, it’s one crucial part of clinically proper sleep.”