Medicare Oxygen Equipment: Rental Payments and Supplier Duties

Adapted from Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment & Other Devices, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The selected guidance concerns Medicare coverage and payment, not a recommendation for medical treatment. Numbered page references below refer to the linked source publication.

Coverage can depend on medical necessity, the setting, provider participation, and your plan’s rules. Use the cited publication for the full conditions and check the plan year when comparing costs or enrollment choices.

How does Medicare pay the supplier for oxygen equipment & related supplies?

If you have Medicare and use oxygen, you can rent oxygen equipment from a supplier for as long as you have a medical need, but payments for the equipment stop after 36 months of continuous use. After 36 months, your supplier must continue to provide oxygen equipment and related supplies for an additional 24 months. Your supplier must provide equipment and supplies for up to a total of 5 years, as long as you have a medical need for oxygen.

Words in blue are defined on pages 17–18.

What do I pay the supplier? What does the rental payment cover?

The monthly rental payments to the supplier cover your oxygen equipment, and any supplies and accessories, like tubing or a mouthpiece, oxygen contents, maintenance, servicing, and repairs. If you use portable oxygen equipment, there’s a separate monthly payment made in addition to the general monthly payment, which also ends after 36 months. In both cases, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you pay your Part B deductible for the year. Medicare pays the other 80%.

If you use either an oxygen concentrator or equipment used to fill portable tanks in your home, you may have to make coinsurance payments for maintenance and servicing of the equipment every 6 months if the supplier comes to your house to inspect and service the equipment. The supplier can’t charge you for this service unless they come to your home to inspect and service the equipment.

What happens with my oxygen equipment & related services after the 36 months of rental payments?

Your supplier must continue to maintain the oxygen equipment (in good working order) and provide the equipment and any necessary supplies and accessories, as long as you need it until the 5-year period ends. The supplier can’t charge you for performing these services.

If you use oxygen tanks or cylinders that need delivery of gaseous or liquid oxygen contents, Medicare will continue to pay each month for the delivery of contents after the 36-month rental period. 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.

If you use either an oxygen concentrator or equipment used to fill portable tanks in your home, you may have to make coinsurance payments for maintenance and servicing every 6 months if the supplier comes to your house to inspect and service the equipment. The supplier can’t charge you for this service unless they come to your home to inspect and service the equipment.

What happens to my oxygen equipment after 5 years?

If your medical need continues past the 5-year period, your supplier no longer has to continue providing your oxygen and oxygen equipment, and you may choose to get replacement equipment from any Medicare-enrolled supplier. A new 36-month payment period and 5-year supplier period starts once the old 5-year period ends.

My oxygen equipment doesn’t allow me to move around like I want to inside and/or outside my home. What should I do?

If your doctor determines that your oxygen equipment doesn’t meet your needs, they may notify the oxygen supplier with a new letter of medical necessity. The letter should explain your mobility needs both inside and outside your home. If you switch from using stationary oxygen to portable oxygen, a new 36-month payment period and a new 5-year supplier period begins once the 5-year contract for the stationary oxygen expires.

What happens if the equipment I have is no longer effective for me?

If your doctor decides that your oxygen equipment is no longer effective for you, they may notify the oxygen supplier with a new letter of medical necessity for different equipment. The oxygen supplier must give you equipment that fits your needs.

What if my oxygen supplier tells me they’ll no longer provide liquid oxygen?

If your supplier tells you they’ll no longer provide your prescribed therapy, and you haven’t completed your 5-year contract, you can:

• Get the oxygen supplier to put their intentions in writing.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to file a complaint. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Can my oxygen supplier decide to change the terms of my contract for my equipment or the number of tanks I get each month?

Your supplier can’t change the type of equipment or number of tank refills you get unless your doctor orders a change. Your oxygen supplier must provide all your oxygen equipment and supplies, including all necessary tank refills.

If I travel by plane, is my oxygen supplier required to provide a portable oxygen concentrator?

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 if you give them several weeks’ notice before your travel date. Also, rentals are available through online companies that work with most airlines. These companies can give the documentation needed for your travel.

What if I’m away from home for an extended period, or I move to another area during the 36-month period?

If you travel away from home for an extended period (several weeks or months) or permanently move to another area during the 36-month rental period, ask your current supplier if they can help you find a supplier in the new area. If your supplier can’t help you find an oxygen supplier in the area where you’re visiting or moving to, visit Medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

What if I’m away from home for an extended period, or I move to another area after the 36-month period?

If you travel or move after the 36-month rental period ends, your supplier is responsible for making sure that you have oxygen and oxygen equipment in the new area. The supplier can’t charge you for oxygen equipment after month 36 even in these situations.

Your supplier may arrange for you to get oxygen and oxygen equipment from a different supplier in your new area. For more information, visit Medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

What if my supplier refuses to continue providing my oxygen equipment & related services as required by law?

If your supplier isn’t following Medicare laws and rules, call 1-800-MEDICARE. A customer service representative will refer your case to the appropriate area.

Source and further reading

Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment & Other Devices — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Public domain U.S. government educational material, accessed October 28, 2026. Fynoptic has selected sections, removed print navigation, and reformatted the text for this guide. The agency does not endorse Fynoptic.