Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Cost

Typical costs:

• Whether hyperbaric oxygen is covered by health insurance typically depends on the particular condition a patient has, and whether the therapy is widely considered to be an experimental or established treatment for it. As the Mayo Clinic^[2] notes, although hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an established treatment for conditions such as decompression sickness, serious infections and wounds that won't heal as a result of diabetes or radiation injury, there's insufficient scientific evidence to support claims for its use for other conditions including allergies, arthritis, autism, cancer or stroke.
• Aetna^[3] , for example, considers the treatment medically necessary for some conditions, including carbon monoxide poisoning and non-healing infected deep ulceration, but not for others like Crohn's disease or Bell's palsy. For patients with insurance coverage, there may be a copay of $10-$50 or coinsurance of about 10%-50%.
• The cost of hyperbaric oxygen therapy per individual treatment for patients without health insurance coverage can vary between more than $100 at a HBOT clinic, to more than a $1,000 for at a large medical hospital, according to the South Bay Hyperbaric Center^[4] in Irvine, CA. For example, at the Hyperbaric Wellness Center^[5] in Germantown, TN, treatment costs $125 per hour (treatments typically last about two hours).
• Depending on the condition, some patients may require dozens of treatments. For example, according to New York Presbyterian Hospital^[6] , long-standing infections and other wounds may need 20 to 60 treatments over the course of several weeks.

• According to New York Presbyterian Hospital^[7] , patients sit or recline inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber during the treatment, which is generally painless. They may experience, however, ear discomfort similar to flying in a plane or diving underwater.
• Some patients may briefly feel light-headed following the treatment, or develop temporary changes in eyesight.

• Diagnostic tests, including blood tests ($8-$150) and a chest x-ray ($50-$1,000), among other exams, may be needed prior to therapy.

• Some providers offer discounts to veterans or for several treatments administered in a row, while others may offer a sliding scale for patients paying out of pocket.

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy requires a prescription from a physician.
• The Nebraska Medical Center^[8] offers several patient resources regarding hyperbaric oxygen therapy, including a patient guide, videos and photos.
• The Mayo Clinic details the risks^[9] associated with the procedure.

1.  qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/97/7/385.2.full
2.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/my00829
3.  www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/100_199/0172.html
4.  www.hyperbaricanswers.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-treatment-costs.cfm
5.  www.hyperbaricwellnesscenter.com/faq.htm#faq4
6.  nyp.org/hyperbaric.html
7.  nyp.org/hyperbaric.html
8.  www.nebraskamed.com/hyperbaric/patient-information
9.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/MY00829/DSECTION=risks

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