Cleaning and Replacement Guidelines in ReSupply

Last updated
Save as PDF

Guidelines for cleaning and supplies replacement for ReSupply.

Article ID: 910

Cleaning CPAP Supplies

As with any medical equipment, it is important for a patient to keep their sleep therapy equipment clean. We recommend that the silicone mask be hand-washed every day using warm water and a pure soap. We recommend that the headgear be hand-washed once a week.

What to do if your mask doesn’t fit right or leaks

If the mask feels uncomfortable or is irritating the skin, or if air is leaking out when wearing the mask, these are signs something needs to be adjusted, whether it is the size of the mask or possibly the type of mask being used. There are several things that can be first tried to resolve the issue. If those don’t solve the problem, refering the patient to their doctor or equipment supplier is the next best step.

Tips for mask comfort and fit

First, make sure your headgear isn’t too tight, which can cause discomfort and pressure sores. Next, make sure you wash your mask after every use to clean off the dirt and oils that have built up and can irritate the skin. Use a mild soap, like baby shampoo or Neutrogena.®

Leak

Mask leak is most often caused by incorrect adjustment, assembly, mask size or mask type. In addition, components that are worn and in need of a replacement are not as effective and could be causing the leak.

First, make sure your headgear isn’t too tight. Next, confirm you have the right mask size and type. If your mask has never fit quite right, it’s most likely a sign you have the wrong mask size or mask type for your face.

Many sleep apnea patients have also found nasal liners help with comfort and fit, so those are worth a try as well.

Suggested Replacement Time Periods for CPAP Supplies

While your various pieces of sleep therapy equipment are durable, they are not designed to last forever and will need to be replaced at different times.

Some patients will be reluctant to replace their supplies, or they may be misinformed about the durability of their supplies. If a patient claims they do not need any supplies, see Patient Education and Script Essentials (ID: 1227) for some excellent ways to educate them about the nature of their supplies. Some additional conversation tactics can also be found in Conversation tactics to keep patients on their resupply program.

NOTE: These are guidelines and suggestions. Some insurance providers may set a different replacement schedule.

Monthly	Every 3 months	Every 6 months
Disposable Air Filters for the machine Full Face Cushions (1 per month) Nasal Cushions/Pillows (2 per month) NOTE: Many insurance providers may allow for a 3 month supply of these items at once.	Tubing (This typically includes the heated tubing for many providers but not all) Mask frame (Includes 1 cushion)	Water Chamber Headgear Reusable Filter (Not all machines use this, mostly just Philips Respironics machines.) Chin Strap (Not all patients use this and it is only sent if it is a regular part of the resupply or requested by patient. This may require an updated prescription from their physician if not previously requested.)

Monthly

Every 3 months

Every 6 months

Disposable Air Filters for the machine
Full Face Cushions (1 per month)
Nasal Cushions/Pillows (2 per month)

NOTE: Many insurance providers may allow for a 3 month supply of these items at once.

Tubing (This typically includes the heated tubing for many providers but not all)
Mask frame (Includes 1 cushion)

Water Chamber
Headgear
Reusable Filter (Not all machines use this, mostly just Philips Respironics machines.)
Chin Strap (Not all patients use this and it is only sent if it is a regular part of the resupply or requested by patient. This may require an updated prescription from their physician if not previously requested.)

Note: Suggested replacement times for supplies can vary based on insurance providers. Never confirm eligibility. Simply advise, “I see you may be eligible for <items listed>; however, your eligibility will be verified during processing.”

Article Metadata

The following table provides management and control details about the current published version of this article.

Prepared By	Clint Rodenfels
Reviewed By	Clint Rodenfels
Process Owner	Nader Omar
Subject Matter Expert	Diane Clarke
Visibility	Internal - ACE
Revision Workflow	Standard
Archive Date
DAC	DAC3

Revision History

The following table summarizes changes for each published version of this article.

Date	Changes
5 March 2024	Rename this article: Cleaning and Replacement Guidelines in ReSupply. Add Summary. Update format to the current standard. Minor revisions for clarity. (K00344)
1 November 2024	Initial publication. All new content.