Oxygen equipment & accessories

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers the rental of oxygen equipment and accessories as durable medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home.

Your costs in Original Medicare

• After you meet the Part B deductible , you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount .
• If you have Medicare and use oxygen, you’ll rent oxygen equipment from a supplier for 36 months. What happens if my oxygen supplier goes out of business or leaves the program during my rental period?
• The monthly rental payments cover your oxygen equipment, along with any oxygen-related accessories and services like:
  • Tubing or a mouthpiece
  • Any other necessary supplies and accessories, including a trans-tracheal oxygen catheter (if needed)
  • Oxygen contents
  • Oxygen machine maintenance
  • Oxygen machine servicing
  • Oxygen machine repairs

  What happens after I rent my equipment for 36 months?

  • As long as you have a medical need for oxygen, your supplier must continue to maintain the oxygen equipment (in good working order) and provide related supplies for an additional 24 months, up to a total of 5 years. The supplier can’t charge you for performing these services. What if my supplier refuses to continue providing my liquid oxygen, oxygen equipment, or related services as required by law?
  • If you use oxygen tanks or cylinders that need delivery of gaseous or liquid oxygen contents, Medicare will continue to pay for the delivery of contents each month after the 36-month rental period ends. You'll pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for these deliveries. The supplier that delivers this equipment to you in the last month of the 36-month rental period must provide these items, as long as you medically need them, up to 5 years. The supplier owns the equipment during the entire 5-year period.

  What happens after the 5-year period ends?

  • If your medical need continues past the 5-year period, your supplier can stop providing your oxygen and oxygen equipment, and you may choose to get replacement equipment from any supplier.
  • Once you choose a supplier, a new 36-month payment period and 5-year supplier obligation period begins.

  Things to know

  • Your doctor or other provider may decide that your oxygen equipment no longer works for you. If so, your provider may contact the oxygen supplier with a new order for different equipment. The oxygen supplier must provide you with equipment that fits your needs, including your mobility needs both inside and outside your home.
  • Your supplier can’t change the type of equipment you get each month unless your doctor orders a change.
  • Your supplier must give you the amount of oxygen you need each month. If you’re running low on oxygen tank refills, contact your supplier immediately and ask them to deliver more oxygen.
  • If you travel by plane, your oxygen supplier isn’t required to give you an airline-approved portable oxygen concentrator, and Medicare won’t pay for any oxygen related to air travel. You may be able to rent a portable oxygen concentrator from your supplier. Also, you can get rentals through online companies that work with most airlines. These companies can give you the documentation needed for your travel. What if I'm away from home for an extended period of time or I move to another area?

  Related resources

  • Where to get covered DME items
  • More information about DME
  • Humidifiers