Does Medicare Cover Portable Oxygen Concentrators?

What Medicare covers and which part pays

Home oxygen is covered under Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance), not Part A. Oxygen equipment is classified as durable medical equipment (DME), which means Medicare helps pay for it the same way it does for items like wheelchairs and hospital beds.

Importantly, Medicare covers oxygen equipment as a rental, not a purchase. You rent the equipment from a Medicare-enrolled supplier; Medicare does not buy a portable oxygen concentrator outright for you to keep. A portable oxygen concentrator can be rented from your supplier and is covered the same way as other home oxygen equipment.

When you qualify, Medicare's coverage includes more than just the machine. It covers the systems that provide oxygen, the containers that store oxygen, the tubing and related supplies used to deliver the oxygen, and the oxygen contents themselves.

• Systems that furnish oxygen (including a portable oxygen concentrator)
• Containers that store oxygen
• Tubing and related delivery supplies
• The oxygen contents (the gas or liquid oxygen)

What you pay in 2026

Before Medicare pays its share, you must meet the annual Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026. After the deductible is met, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the oxygen equipment (the Part B coinsurance), and Medicare pays the other 80%.

Your costs are lowest when your supplier accepts assignment. A supplier that participates in Medicare and accepts assignment can charge you only the coinsurance and the Part B deductible based on the Medicare-approved amount. A supplier that does not accept assignment may charge you more. Both your doctor and your DME supplier must be enrolled in Medicare for your equipment to be covered.

Keep in mind there is also the standard Part B monthly premium, which is $202.90 in 2026, that you pay to have Part B at all.

• Part B deductible (2026): $283 per year
• Coinsurance: 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the deductible
• Standard Part B premium (2026): $202.90 per month
• Use a supplier that accepts assignment to keep your out-of-pocket cost down

The 36-month rental rule and the 5-year period

Medicare oxygen coverage works on a rental schedule. You rent the equipment from a supplier for 36 months of continuous use. Medicare's payment for the oxygen equipment itself generally does not continue beyond that 36-month rental cap.

After the 36 months, the supplier that delivered the equipment in the last rental month must continue to provide it, as long as it remains medically necessary, for up to 5 years total. The supplier owns the equipment during the entire 5-year period.

Even after the 36-month cap, Medicare keeps paying for some things. Medicare continues monthly payments for the oxygen contents. For supplier-owned oxygen concentrators and transfilling equipment, payment for in-home maintenance and servicing may be made every 6 months, beginning 6 months after the cap, for the rest of the equipment's reasonable useful lifetime.

Because of this maintenance rule, you may owe a coinsurance payment for maintenance and servicing every 6 months, but only if the supplier actually comes to your home to inspect and service the equipment. If there is no in-home service visit, there is no maintenance coinsurance.

How to qualify: medical criteria and documentation

Medicare does not cover home oxygen just because you want it. A health care provider must certify three things: that you are not getting enough oxygen, that your health may improve with oxygen therapy, and that your arterial blood gas level falls within a qualifying range.

Under Medicare's National Coverage Determination, hypoxemia that qualifies for home oxygen is generally defined as an arterial PO2 at or below 55 mm Hg, or an arterial oxygen saturation at or below 88%, measured at rest while breathing room air. There are additional rules and higher thresholds for intermediate ranges and certain conditions.

Documentation matters. An initial oxygen therapy claim must include the results of a blood gas study that your attending physician ordered and evaluated. Pulse oximetry can be acceptable when it is ordered, evaluated, and supervised by your treating practitioner, or performed by a qualified provider or lab. A DME supplier is not a qualified provider for this test, so the testing cannot come from the company renting you the equipment.

• Doctor certifies low oxygen, expected benefit, and a qualifying blood gas level
• Qualifying levels: PO2 at or below 55 mm Hg, or O2 saturation at or below 88%, at rest on room air
• A blood gas study (or qualifying pulse oximetry) is required for the initial claim
• The test cannot be done by your DME supplier

Suppliers, competitive bidding, and travel

Oxygen equipment is supplied through Medicare's DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program in many areas. If you live in a competitive bidding area, you generally must use a Medicare contract supplier for Medicare to cover the equipment. You can look up Medicare-enrolled suppliers using the supplier directory on Medicare.gov.

Air travel is a major limitation. Your oxygen supplier is not required to provide an airline-approved portable oxygen concentrator, and Medicare will not pay for any oxygen related to air travel. If you need an airline-approved POC for a flight, you can rent one from online companies that work with airlines and pay for it out of pocket.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan instead of Original Medicare, the plan must cover at least what Original Medicare covers, but costs, supplier networks, and prior-authorization rules can differ. If you are in Medicare Advantage, confirm the details and approved suppliers with your plan before getting equipment.