Are Portable Oxygen Concentrators Covered By Medicare?

After consulting your doctor about prescribed medical oxygen, it’s time to go shopping for a portable oxygen concentrator. If you don’t have health insurance through a private company, you’re most likely thinking of getting your POC through Medicare. However, you may have many questions like “are portable oxygen concentrators covered by Medicare? Do I qualify for Medicare? Who do I contact about coverage?” There’s nothing to worry about as our professional team at Oxygen Always can better explain how Medicare applies to portable oxygen concentrators.

Medicare and DMEs

Medicare has, in the past and even still today, helped pay for DMEs, or durable medical equipment, like in-home hospital beds and wheelchairs. For oxygen therapy, though, Medicare covers the rental of portable oxygen concentrators and can pay for some accessories for patients who bought their own devices. If you’re unsure about the requirements to qualify for a portable oxygen concentrator rental via Medicare, you can always visit Medicare’s website to get more details about how to rent a portable or home oxygen concentrator.

Do I Qualify for Medicare?

To be eligible for Medicare, you must be 65 years of age or older with a medical condition or disability and must have had Medicare taxes withheld from your income while you were employed. The deductible you pay for the rental of a portable oxygen concentrator depends on several factors. Medicare can cover up to 80% of the rental of your oxygen therapy device, given that your test results state you need oxygen therapy.¹

Once you’ve found a Medicare-approved supplier of portable oxygen concentrators, you can begin the application process to figure out the cost covered by Medicare, with your healthcare physician’s assistance. He/she will write up a Detailed Written Order (DWO) which will include your full name, a detailed explanation of equipment necessities, the duration needed for oxygen therapy, pulse or continuous flow rate, date of order, and your healthcare physician’s signature.

Upon submission of the paperwork, you’ll be either approved or denied. In most cases where patients are denied, it’s usually due to an error in the paperwork or missing documents.

Purchasing POCs Without Medicare

If you’re not able to obtain a portable concentrator rental via Medicare, you can always purchase it out-of-pocket. The benefits of buying a portable oxygen concentrator greatly outweigh those of renting a POC. Not only will you be in possession of the oxygen device for as long as you need it, but you will also have the freedom to travel, work, and enjoy other daily activities as usual. Some of our bestselling portable oxygen concentrators include the Respironics SimplyGo Mini, AirSep Focus, and the Lifechoice ActivOx Pro 4L.

Don’t hesitate to contact our team of professionals at Oxygen Always. Our 24-hour customer service, available 365 days a year, will be delighted to answer any questions you may have regarding Medicare and portable oxygen concentrators.

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