Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment in which a person breathes oxygen inside a pressurized chamber, used for a set list of medical conditions such as decompression illness and carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Cash price per session
- Not confirmed for this page
- Medicare covered uses
- Only conditions listed in national coverage determination 20.29 [1]
- Diabetic foot wounds
- Covered for Wagner grade III or higher after 30 days of failed standard care [1]
- Not covered
- Includes senility, Alzheimer's, MS, arthritis, heart attack and burns [1]
What we know about price
Our research did not capture published per-session cash prices from hospitals or private chambers, so we do not list a number here. If you are quoted a price, ask how many sessions are planned, whether a physician supervises each session, and whether the quote includes the evaluation visit. If a course of several sessions is planned, the total matters more than the per-session price.
When Medicare pays
CMS national coverage determination 20.29 lists these covered conditions [1]:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning and cyanide poisoning
- Decompression illness and gas embolism
- Gas gangrene and progressive necrotizing soft-tissue infections
- Acute traumatic peripheral ischemia and crush injuries
- Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency
- Compromised skin grafts or flaps
- Chronic refractory osteomyelitis
- Osteoradionecrosis and soft-tissue radionecrosis (radiation injury)
- Actinomycosis
- Diabetic foot wounds of Wagner grade III or higher that have not healed after 30 days of standard wound care
The same rule names uses Medicare does not cover, including senility, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and burns [1].
Wellness chambers are a different service
Some spas and wellness clinics sell sessions for uses that are not on the Medicare list. We make no claims about those uses. Ask the clinic what evidence supports your specific reason, who supervises, and what pressure the chamber uses. We could not confirm FDA's list of cleared HBOT uses for this page.
Hidden costs
- Whether an evaluation visit before the first session is billed separately.
- How many sessions the course includes, since that sets the total.
- Whether wound care visits, imaging or lab tests are billed on top of the chamber sessions.
Ways to pay less
- If your condition is on the CMS list, ask the center to check coverage and prior authorization before you start [1].
- Ask your HSA or FSA administrator whether a doctor-ordered course qualifies.
- Get the total course price in writing before the first session.
Insurance and Medicare
Medicare coverage follows NCD 20.29 [1]. Private plans may have their own lists, so ask yours. Ask in writing whether a use outside your plan's list would be self-pay.
How to find hyperbaric oxygen therapy near you
- Ask the doctor treating your condition, such as a wound care or diving medicine physician, for a referral.
- Look for hospital wound care and hyperbaric programs, and ask whether they bill Medicare or your plan.
- Confirm your diagnosis is on the CMS covered list if you have Medicare [1].
Other cash-pay services on this site
If you came here from a longevity program, compare what else they sell: longevity clinics, full body MRI cost, VO2 max test, DEXA scan cost and wellness injections.
Questions people ask
How much does hyperbaric oxygen therapy cost?
We could not confirm a published per-session cash price as of Oct 17 2026. Medicare covers HBOT only for conditions listed in national coverage determination 20.29, such as carbon monoxide poisoning and decompression illness [1].
Does Medicare cover hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Yes, for listed conditions in NCD 20.29, including CO and cyanide poisoning, decompression illness, gas embolism, gas gangrene, crush injury, radiation injury, chronic refractory osteomyelitis and diabetic foot wounds of Wagner grade III or higher after 30 days of failed care [1].
Does Medicare cover HBOT for Alzheimer's or MS?
No. NCD 20.29 lists senility, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, heart attack and burns among the uses Medicare does not cover [1].
Is hyperbaric oxygen therapy covered for diabetic foot ulcers?
Medicare covers it for diabetic lower-extremity wounds of Wagner grade III or higher that have not responded to 30 days of standard wound therapy [1].
Where can I get hyperbaric oxygen therapy near me?
For covered conditions, hospital wound care and hyperbaric programs are the usual route; ask your treating doctor for a referral and confirm your condition is on the CMS list [1].
Is HBOT a longevity treatment?
Medicare covers HBOT only for listed medical conditions, and it lists senility among non-covered uses [1]. We make no claims about anti-aging uses.
Sources
1 cited
- National coverage determination 20.29: hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, accessed 2026-10-17.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own care.