If you have a serious injury, you want the best treatments you can get. Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend several different treatment options. Many different injuries and conditions can benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
This treatment lets patients breathe in pure oxygen. This treatment helps stimulate the healing process by fostering the production of growth factors and stem cells. It also helps fight bacteria.
When the body suffers traumatic injuries, it needs more oxygen than normal for injured tissues to survive. If you’re curious about this treatment, continue reading to learn about the cost of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
The Cost of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for On-Label and Off-label Conditions
The FDA has a list of illnesses and injuries for which oxygen chambers are approved. The approved list of conditions is known as on-label. These conditions include:
- Radiation tissue damage
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Failed skin grafts and flaps
- Crush injury and other acute traumatic ischemias
- Necrotizing soft tissue infection
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Smoke inhalation
- Central retinal artery occlusion
- Non-healing wounds
- Gangrene
- Decompression sickness
When the procedure is FDA-approved, insurance generally covers the cost of the procedure.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has uses outside of conditions that are considered on-label. This treatment is used around the world to treat other conditions and injuries backed by research. However, these conditions are considered off-label in the United States.
Since the FDA hasn’t approved them, insurance usually won’t cover their treatment.
Off-label doesn’t mean that the treatment is ineffective or unsafe. They just haven’t yet met the standard set forth by the FDA.
Type of Provider and Location
There are two main providers of oxygen therapy: hospital-based and independent. The cost of care can vary wildly between both providers. Hospital-based programs accept most insurance, but only treat on-label patients.
Independent providers will see all patients, but many don’t accept insurance. Hyperbaric chamber prices at hospitals tend to have much higher out-of-pocket costs. They also have higher co-pays and co-insurance responsibilities.
Independent providers will treat off-label conditions, but you’ll have to pay out of pocket for those treatments. The cost of treatment generally costs several hundred dollars. The cost also depends on the location of the treatment center.
If you plan to seek oxygen therapy benefits for an extended period, it may be a good idea to invest in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for your home. You can contact Newtowne Hyperbaric Chambers to get a quote on the best hyperbaric chamber for your home.
Improve Your Health Through Oxygen Therapy
The benefits of oxygen therapy have long been upheld by research. If you have the option to get it, you should receive oxygen therapy. The cost of hyperbaric oxygen therapy will depend on your condition and where you get it, but it will be worth it.
If you learned a lot from this article, check out some of our other articles. We have resources for many different topics. To always have the latest info, subscribe to our blog.