Does your insurance cover it? Sleep apnea and insurers
Medically reviewed by Dr. Iván Méndez-Benegassi Silva · ENT & Sleep Medicine Specialist · HM Hospitales, Madrid · License No. 282855946
We work with practically all the main private health insurers (Adeslas, Sanitas, DKV, Asisa, Mapfre and others). When sleep apnea is diagnosed, the assessment, the sleep study and the treatment are usually covered, though the details depend on your policy — confirm them with your insurer. If you prefer to be seen privately, or are not covered, the private consultation costs €120.
With your insurance
We work with practically all the main insurers — among others Adeslas, Sanitas, DKV, Asisa and Mapfre. Coverage and conditions depend on each policy, so the first step is to confirm the details with your company.
Private consultation
If you have no insurance, your policy does not cover it, or you simply prefer private care, the private consultation costs €120 and includes the specialist ENT assessment of your snoring or sleep apnea.
What is usually covered
When apnea is suspected or diagnosed, private insurers generally cover the medically necessary parts: the specialist (ENT) assessment, the sleep study (polysomnography or respiratory polygraphy) and the indicated treatment — CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery. The level of cover (for example CPAP rental vs purchase, materials or co-payments) varies a lot between companies and contracts. Snoring treated for purely aesthetic or comfort reasons, with no apnea, is more likely to be excluded. The honest rule of thumb: medically necessary, usually covered; confirm the specifics with your policy.
In-network or reimbursement?
There are two main types of private policy. With an in-network policy (“cuadro médico”), the insurer pays the provider directly and you only pay any co-payment. With a reimbursement policy, you pay for the service and the insurer pays you back a percentage set in your contract. Both can apply to the assessment, the sleep study and the treatment; only the paperwork differs. Knowing which type you have avoids surprises.
Direct care, no middlemen
A note on how I work. You won't find me in the big paid medical directories, such as Doctoralia or Top Doctors, and I don't consult over WhatsApp. They are useful platforms — they help many people find a professional — and I have nothing against them; I simply see the consultation differently. On those portals the ranking depends in part on the advertising each practice pays for, and I would rather you reached me for what I explain and for the results, not for a bought place in a listing. I also prefer not to depend on third-party companies that place themselves between patient and doctor. Here the relationship is direct: you, the specialist and your medical record. That is why first contact and appointments go through formal clinical channels (appointment and video consultation), rather than a WhatsApp marketing funnel.
So why do I work with insurers, which are also third-party companies? For a very different reason. People need a doctor, and we cannot stop providing care. Private insurance fee schedules have not been updated in years — some for almost a quarter of a century — and pay little for each procedure, yet not everyone can afford a purely private consultation. Staying with the insurers is what allows your apnea or your snoring to be looked after properly even when your budget does not stretch to private care. That is the difference: a paid directory adds nothing worthwhile; an insurer, even paying little, brings me closer to the people who need me.
There is one important exception: follow-up after surgery. If I operate on you, I do give you direct access — WhatsApp included — to resolve the reasonable doubts of the postoperative period or any urgent problem, precisely because immediacy is essential at that stage: a recently operated patient cannot wait for the next available appointment slot. Not using messaging as a shop window to attract patients is one thing; being reachable the moment you need me after surgery is a very different one.
What to ask your insurer
- Is the ENT sleep assessment covered, and is it in-network or reimbursement?
- Is the sleep study (polysomnography / respiratory polygraphy) covered?
- Does CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery need prior authorisation?
- Is there any co-payment, and how much?
- What documentation do you need for reimbursement?
Get assessed by the specialist
With practically all insurers, or privately (€120). See how the specialist assesses and treats snoring and sleep apnea.
See the specialistFrequently asked questions
Is sleep apnea covered by private health insurance?
In most cases the medically necessary parts — the specialist assessment, the sleep study and the indicated treatment (CPAP, oral appliance or surgery) — are covered, but it always depends on your specific policy and its terms. We work with practically all the main insurers, so the usual first step is simply to confirm the details with your own company. Snoring treated for purely aesthetic or comfort reasons, without apnea, is more likely to be excluded.
Which insurers do you work with?
We work with practically all the main private health insurers — among others Adeslas, Sanitas, DKV, Asisa and Mapfre. Coverage and conditions vary from one policy to another, so we recommend you confirm with your insurer which services need prior authorisation and whether they are handled in-network or by reimbursement.
Why aren't you on Doctoralia or Top Doctors, and why no WhatsApp?
It is a deliberate choice about how we see the consultation. Those paid directories are useful for many people, but on them the ranking depends in part on the advertising each practice pays for, and we prefer not to depend on third-party companies that sit between patient and doctor — we would rather you reached us for what we explain and for the results. First contact and appointments go through formal clinical channels (appointment and video consultation), not WhatsApp. There is one exception: after surgery we do offer direct follow-up — WhatsApp included — for the reasonable doubts of the postoperative period or any urgency, because immediacy really matters at that stage.
What is the difference between in-network and reimbursement?
With an in-network policy (“cuadro médico”) the insurer pays the provider directly and you usually only pay any co-payment. With a reimbursement policy you pay for the service and the insurer pays you back a percentage according to your contract. Both routes can apply to the sleep assessment, the sleep study and the treatment; the practical steps differ, so it is worth checking which one your policy uses.
How much is the private consultation without insurance?
The private (self-pay) consultation costs €120. It is an option for people who do not have private insurance, whose policy does not cover the service, or who simply prefer to be seen privately. It includes the specialist ENT assessment of your snoring or sleep apnea.
Do I need prior authorisation from my insurer?
Often yes, especially for the sleep study, CPAP equipment or surgery. Each insurer has its own process and forms. Ask your company whether the specific service needs prior authorisation, what documentation they require, and whether there is any co-payment, so there are no surprises.
Does insurance cover CPAP or surgery for apnea?
When apnea is diagnosed and the treatment is medically indicated, many policies cover CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery — but the level of cover (rental vs purchase of CPAP, materials, co-payments) varies a lot between companies and contracts. Confirm the specific conditions with your insurer before starting.
This guide is informational. Insurance coverage and conditions depend on each policy and may change; always confirm the details with your insurer. The private consultation fee (€120) may be updated over time.
Reviewed by Dr. Iván Méndez-Benegassi Silva · ENT & Sleep Medicine Specialist · HM Hospitales · Last reviewed: 24 Jun 2026