Procedure Costs

You will require a consult from your family physician to be assessed for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea.  Medically necessary surgical procedures are covered by our Universal Health Care System.  Primary snoring, without evidence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS), is not considered “medically necessary”.  If snoring is associated with frequent wakening and daytime fatigue it is likely one of these two medical conditions and the cost of the procedure would be covered.  The cost of disposable equipment and implants are not covered by the provincial health plan.  Some insurance companies may have specific plans that cover it.  Currently, there is no Blue Cross plan in Nova Scotia which reimburses these costs.  Patients therefore pay for all disposables related to the procedures.  There is no profit made on the costs of disposables or implants.  Disposables include the coblation wand (which you will be given at the end of the procedure), medications used for sterilizing the mouth, freezing, and decreasing inflammation, syringes and needles, sterile drapes and gauze, and the gels used to create the coblation plasma field.  You will be provided a receipt which can be used for taxation purposes and we will be happy to provide a copy of the receipt if you would like to submit to your insurance provider.  The Pillar Implant System is recommended for the treatment of primary snoring.  The cost of the disposables, implant system, and procedure is therefore covered by the patient.  For an estimate on procedure cost, please contact my office or talk to your family doctor about a consultation with a sleep surgeon.