Take Action for Sleep Apnea Today
The community is working with Congressman Juan Ciscomani to send a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding diagnosis and coverage determinations for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to ensure women with OSA receive accurate diagnosis and care.
The outdated diagnostic criteria for OSA currently used by CMS requires partial pauses in breathing to be scored based on a 4% drop in blood oxygen level. This is based predominately on data in men, and inconsistent with the clinical manifestations of this same condition in women. As a result, many Americans, especially women with OSA, are unable to access timely diagnosis and treatment in order to improve health outcomes and reduce long-term healthcare consequences and costs.
While CMS will be required to respond to Rep. Ciscomani, having more Members of Congress who sign the letter will demonstrate the broad support for this issue. To show our support in Congress, please reach out to your Representative asking them to sign-on to Rep. Ciscomani’s letter.
Why This Matters
Initially, sleep apnea was considered a “male condition,” and early research and diagnostic standards reflected that bias. As science has evolved, we now understand that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can look very different in women — often manifesting with more fatigue, insomnia, and arousals from sleep rather than the traditionally more male presentation of loud snoring and dramatic pauses in breathing.
In 2012, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) updated clinical guidelines to include important findings on how sleep apnea presents differently in women, specifically with hypopneas defined as a narrowing of the airway accompanied by a 3% drop in oxygen or an arousal. However, as of 2025, CMS has yet to modernize to match scientific progress. As a result, many people (especially women and younger people) are left to face sleep apnea symptoms and serious consequences without proper diagnosis or care.
Raise Your Voice
To be effective, we need your Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to “sign on” to Rep. Ciscomani’s letter to show Congress’ resounding concern about this issue.
Your House Representatives will only “sign on” if asked to by YOU (their constituent). Take action TODAY to start the process. There are a few steps, but all can be done via e-mail.
Instructions:
- To find the appropriate staff member who handles healthcare (the Health LA) in your Representative’s DC office, first contact our sleep community advocacy staff, Matt Duquette at [email protected] and cc: Emma Cooksey at [email protected] (Email Subject: Health LA, in email simply provide your home address so Matt can identify your House Representative’s Health LA).
- E-mail your Representative’s Health LA using the draft message below and attach the Dear Colleague Letter CMS Sleep Apnea 2025 PDF (click here to download letter). Please note, you do not need to click the “Quill” link and form mentioned; these links ONLY works for House offices.
- Be persistent and follow up every few days (Pro Tip: set reminders in your calendar to follow up).
*DRAFT EMAIL TO HEALTH LA*
To: [Your House Representative’s Health LA’s Email]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Sign On Letter – Sleep Community
Dear [Staff Member’s Name],
I am reaching out regarding a Sign-On letter about sleep apnea coverage at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). For many years now, CMS has utilized an outdated criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which has led to many people, especially women, going without accurate diagnosis and access to treatment. Since 2012, leaders in sleep medicine have recommended updated criteria to reflect decades of scientific progress on understanding how OSA can present differently in men and women. This updated definition more accurately reflects those impacted by OSA, including women and younger individuals. This Sign-On letter requests an update from CMS on ongoing efforts to modernize their criteria to match widespread scientific knowledge and clinical standards.
Attached please find the Dear Colleague letter currently circulating in the House. Please sign on via quill here. If you have any questions about the letter, please reach out to Alex Fink ([email protected]) in Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s office.
Thank you for your time and for considering this request. [Optional: add any personal or professional connection to this issue.]
Sincerely,
[Your Name and Home Address]
Attachment: Dear Colleague Letter CMS Sleep Apnea 2025 (https://project-sleep.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dear-Colleague-Letter-CMS-Sleep-Apnea-2025.pdf)
Questions? Email Matt Duquette at [email protected] and Emma Cooksey at [email protected] with any questions. Thank you for raising your voice for people facing sleep apnea!
