Why Medicare says no
Part B covers durable medical equipment that is primarily medical, used in your home, and not usually useful to someone who isn't sick or injured. CMS's equipment reference list (National Coverage Determination 280.1) lists air cleaners, air conditioners, room heaters and room humidifiers as "environmental control equipment," not primarily medical in nature, and denies them. Generators aren't medical equipment either.
What Medicare does cover for oxygen
- You rent oxygen equipment from a Medicare supplier for 36 months. The rental covers the equipment, tank and cylinder refills, tubing and supplies.
- The supplier must give you the amount of oxygen you need each month and keep the equipment working.
- After 36 months the supplier keeps providing oxygen and maintenance for up to five years from when you started.
- You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Medigap may cover your share.
Planning for smoke and power shutoffs
- Talk to your supplier. Ask what happens to your concentrator in an outage and whether portable tanks are right for you.
- Register with your electric utility. Oregon's Public Utility Commission advises people who need power for medical equipment to register a Medical Certificate with their utility before an outage. Utilities work to contact certificate holders during outages and public safety power shutoffs, but it doesn't guarantee power.
- Use generators safely. Never run a fuel generator indoors or in a garage; carbon monoxide can kill.
- Watch air quality. Stay inside with windows closed on smoky days and follow your doctor's plan for breathing problems.
Help through OHP
OHP's climate supports can provide an air conditioner, heater, air filter, mini fridge for medicine, or portable power supply for a powered medical device. You must have OHP, a health condition that makes climate events dangerous, electricity, and a qualifying life situation. One of those situations is changing from OHP-only to OHP plus Medicare, within the next three months or the past nine months. Ask your CCO, or call OHP Client Services at 1-800-273-0557 (open card members: 1-888-834-4304). More on OHP and Medicare.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover oxygen in Oregon?
Rental rules and what you pay.
What happens to my Medicare if I evacuate for a wildfire?
Care, drugs and equipment on the road.
What happens to my OHP when I turn 65?
Moving from OHP to Medicare.
Sources
- CMS — National Coverage Determination 280.1, Durable Medical Equipment Reference List
- Medicare.gov — Oxygen equipment and accessories
- Oregon Health Authority — Helping members stay healthy at home during extreme weather
- Oregon Public Utility Commission — Power outage preparedness
More questions in this guide
- Can I get an early prescription refill during a wildfire?
- Does Medicare cover telehealth in Oregon?
- Is there a Medicare special enrollment period after an Oregon wildfire?
- What happens to my Medicare if I evacuate for a wildfire?
- What is a critical access hospital in Oregon?
Part of the guide: Medicare in Rural Oregon · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Will Medicare pay for a backup oxygen tank for power outages?
Your monthly oxygen rental covers the equipment and refills your doctor orders. Ask your doctor and supplier whether portable tanks you can use without power make sense for you.
What if my doctor prescribes an air purifier?
A prescription doesn't change the answer. CMS lists air cleaners as environmental equipment that Medicare doesn't cover, even with a doctor's order.
Does Medicare Advantage cover air purifiers?
Some plans offer extra benefits Original Medicare doesn't cover. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage.
Medicare in your Oregon county
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