It’s a question that comes up frequently. Does insurance or Medicare cover the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? WebMD answers the question, and explains what conditions would be considered covered for this miracle treatment that involves oxygen + pressure.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the health conditions that may require Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and are covered by Medicare Part B are:
- Gas embolism
- Gas gangrene
- Acute carbon monoxide intoxication
- Decompression illness
- Progressive necrotizing infections
- Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency
- Acute traumatic peripheral ischemia
- Crush injuries and suturing of severed limbs
- Osteoradionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
- Soft tissue radionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
- Preparation and preservation of compromised skin grafts
- Chronic refractory osteomyelitis, unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical management
- Cyanide poisoning
- Actinomycosis, only as an adjunct to conventional therapy when the disease process is refractory to antibiotics and surgical treatment
- Wounds in your legs due to diabetes if you: have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and a lower extremety wound due to diabetes, have a wound classified as Wagner grade III or higher, or have attempted and failed an adequate standard course of wound therapy
“Under Original Medicare (Part A and B), a patient will likely pay 20% of the cost of the treatment plus the Part B deductible,” Miura says. “Medicare can also cover HBOT if used as a supplement to conventional treatment.”
“Medicare may require prior authorization from your doctor before approval for using hyperbaric oxygen therapy,” Lindsay Malzone, Medicare expert for Medigap.com, tells WebMD Connect to Care.
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