OHRSA Achievements & Events

Four Points by Sheraton Mississauga Meadowvale

Annual General Meeting (virtual)

OHRSA launches oxygenfinder.ca, a multi-parameter search engine, to help Ontarians with a home oxygen prescription locate an ADP-registered Vendor serving in their community.

Per the Assistive Devices Program’s July 2024 Respiratory Policy & Administration Manual, the ADP offers Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) System funding support to any Ontarian diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome through an in-lab, level I polysomnography test. In all other Canadian provinces, public and private payers accept PAP System funding claims for persons diagnosed through level I in lab, or level II and III home sleep apnea tests. View PDF

On January 27, 2025, OHRSA circulated a memo detailing an invoice and process optimized for private insurance coverage [post copy]. On February 4, 2025, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) issued a revision to their Service and Supply Provider Receipt Best Practices for Group Benefit Reimbursement recommending the same invoice layout.

For its 2022-23 policy manuals review process, OHRSA was invited to occupy 4 of the 6 industry stakeholder seats. OHRSA representatives contributed a number of policy improvement ideas, including a clear statement that repeat sleep studies are not prerequisite to obtaining the ADP funding for a replacement PAP device, and titration sleep studies are only required when deemed necessary by the sleep specialist. Together, these policy statements will help reduce wait times for an initial diagnostic sleep study.

For its 2022-23 policy manuals review process, OHRSA was invited to occupy 4 of the 6 industry stakeholder seats. OHRSA representatives contributed a number of policy improvement ideas, including the addition of a start fee within the home oxygen program.

Following implementation of its October 2021 fixed price reduction for PAP Systems, the ADP confirmed to OHRSA that their funding support does not cover certain features inherent in most PAP devices. In response, OHRSA distributed a bulletin confirming device features for which Vendors may charge an amount beyond ADP’s published fixed price. This bulletin was updated after the ADP published its July 2024 Respiratory Equipment Policy and Administration Manual.

Starting in late 2019, many private health insurers discontinued coverage for PAP device claims submitted by persons diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, denoted by an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 5-15 events per hour. Although the ADP policy did not follow suit, OHRSA members were concerned that co-pay claims would be impacted, so OHRSA formed a coalition of industry associations, including the B.C. Sleep Apnea Service Providers Association, the Respiratory Homecare Association of Alberta, the Alberta Lung Association, and the Canadian Sleep Society, who together presented an evidence based case to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association advocating coverage for all persons diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome and prescribed PAP therapy. The presentation was well received, following which many insurers reversed course and re-opened coverage to persons diagnosed with “mild” sleep apnea.

OHRSA was founded on this fine day