CPAP prescription: how to get, renew, or replace one

By SleepApneaSelect · Sources checked October 7, 2026

Provider and seller links on this page are unpaid. Advertising disclosure.

Yes. In the U.S., you need a prescription to buy a CPAP machine. That's true online, in a store, and when you pay cash. A federal rule (opens in a new tab) limits the sale of prescription devices to a licensed practitioner's order. ResMed confirms its CPAP machines require a prescription (opens in a new tab), and sellers check before they ship.

But a new prescription and a new sleep study are two different things. Start with the situation that fits:

• You already use CPAP. You may only need a copy of the prescription that's already on file. If it's gone for good, the two online renewal services we compared each charge $35. A licensed doctor decides whether to renew it.
• You have test results but no prescription. Ask the clinic for the signed equipment order. It's a separate paper.
• You've never been tested. Start with a clinical evaluation and a sleep test. Many adults can do the test at home.

Find your situation below and jump to your steps.

Find the step you need

Has your sleep or your health changed? Is this for a child? Skip the paperwork and talk to a clinician first.

How to get a copy of your CPAP prescription

Start here before you pay anyone. If a clinician prescribed your CPAP, a copy of that order may still be on file.

You have a legal right to copies of your health records held by HIPAA-covered providers. A practice normally has up to 30 days to send them and may charge a reasonable, cost-based copy fee. Many are faster. HHS explains your right to your records (opens in a new tab).

1. Check your patient portal. Look under orders, documents, letters, and test results. A diagnosis on your problem list is not the equipment order.
2. Message the prescriber's office or its records office. Use the message below. If your doctor left or retired, ask who holds that practice's records.
3. Ask for your sleep study report too. A new doctor or an insurer will often want it. If a different lab did the test, ask the lab.
4. Ask your old equipment supplier. They needed your prescription to set you up, so they may still have it.
5. Let the new seller look at what you find. If no copy turns up, go to renewal options. A lost paper does not, by itself, mean you need a new sleep study.

Copy this message to your clinic

Subject: Request for my CPAP prescription and sleep study report

Hello,

Please send me a copy of my signed CPAP (PAP) prescription or equipment order. Please also send my sleep study report, and my titration report if I had one.

I need the actual order that shows the device type and settings. A visit summary or a receipt will not work. If the order lists an end date, a refill limit, or a length of need, please include that page.

You can send it through my patient portal, or tell me how your records process works. If there is no order on file, please tell me what I need to do so a clinician can write one. Please also tell me about any copy fee and how long it will take.

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Date of birth]
[Phone or email]

The button only copies the text. It doesn't send the message to your clinic or to SleepApneaSelect.

I have a diagnosis, but no prescription

A sleep study report and a prescription are not the same paper. The report says what the test found. The prescription tells a seller what equipment to give you.

Say your portal shows the sleep study report, and the seller still asks for an "Rx." Sending the report again won't fix it. Ask the clinic that diagnosed you one question: "Is there a signed CPAP order on file, or do I need a visit first?"

Can a seller get it for me?

Sometimes. ResMed's online shop says that, with your permission, its support team can work with your provider or current supplier to get your prescription. ResMed Shop prescription FAQ (opens in a new tab). Other sellers set their own process, so ask before you order.

Online CPAP prescription renewal: prices and terms

An online renewal is for people who already use CPAP and need an updated order or can't get their old prescription. You pay a flat fee. A licensed doctor reviews your history and decides. The fee buys the review, not a promise of a prescription.

Both services below say you must have been diagnosed in the past 10 years and be using CPAP now. That is their program rule. It is not a legal expiration date for a diagnosis.

Prices and terms checked October 7, 2026. Listed alphabetically.

Which one? If a written refund when the doctor declines matters most to you, Lofta has the clearer policy. If you'd rather have the scheduled virtual appointment CPAP.com describes, CPAP.com may fit better. Either way, ask first whether it covers your state and the kind of machine you use.

What a renewal plus a machine adds up to. One example, using our arithmetic from published prices: a $35 renewal plus the $1,004 base price both sellers in our CPAP comparison list for a ResMed AirSense 11 AutoSet with a humidifier and standard SlimLine tubing. $35 + $1,004 = $1,039. A mask and optional heated hose cost extra. Any applicable shipping or tax is not included. This is not a quote. CPAP.com listing (opens in a new tab) · The CPAP Shop listing (opens in a new tab)

Other prices we saw. Easy Breathe lists its renewal at $99.99 (opens in a new tab), but says prescriptions are intended for use at Easy Breathe and acceptance elsewhere or by insurance isn't guaranteed. RespShop lists $99 (opens in a new tab), shown marked down from $129. Its service requires a completed sleep study and an official sleep apnea diagnosis, uses a 15-minute online appointment, and promises a full refund if the physician can't renew.

Ask your own clinic first

Your current clinic may renew without an office visit. Here is one real example. Gundersen Health System's sleep center publishes a typical $42 MyChart e-visit price (opens in a new tab), compared with $129 or more for video and office visits. It's for eligible existing patients: at least one year and one day since their last sleep-provider visit or e-visit, with an in-person or virtual visit within the past three years. Your actual out-of-pocket cost depends on insurance.

Your clinic sets its own price. But it's worth one message to ask.

Subject: CPAP prescription renewal

Hello,

I currently use CPAP and need an updated prescription for [reason]. My last sleep study was in [year] at [clinic or lab].

Can Dr. [name] renew my prescription through the portal or an e-visit? If I need a visit, what is the soonest opening, and should I bring my machine's usage data?

Please write the order so I can fill it at the supplier I choose.

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Date of birth]

Is "free" prescription renewal really free?

Sleep Doctor's offer is tied to an equipment order. If you already have a sleep apnea diagnosis and your prescription is expired or unavailable, it says it can arrange a virtual consultation at no extra charge after you place the order. The clinician decides whether to issue a prescription. If you cancel after the consultation, you're responsible for the consultation fee. The amount isn't published; ask before booking. Sleep Doctor shipping and returns (opens in a new tab) · Sleep Doctor prescription help (opens in a new tab).

That's a fine deal if you already chose that seller. It isn't a free standalone renewal.

Diagnosed more than 10 years ago, or stopped using CPAP?

The two services above may not take you. That doesn't mean you need a new sleep study. It means a clinician should look at your history. Ask your old clinic, your primary care doctor, or a sleep clinician.

Can I get a CPAP without a sleep study?

It depends on what you mean.

An "auto" CPAP adjusts its own pressure. It does not diagnose you, and it still needs a prescription.

How to get your first CPAP prescription

1. Get evaluated. Start with your primary care doctor, a sleep clinician, or a home testing service that includes a clinical visit.
2. Take the sleep test. The clinician decides whether a home test or a lab test fits you.
3. Go over the results. A qualified clinician reads the recording and talks through your options.
4. Get the prescription, if CPAP is right for you. Ask for your own copy, and ask whether you can use it at any seller.
5. Pick a machine that matches it. The clinician sets the type and settings. The seller explains the package and the return terms.

Paying for a test does not guarantee a prescription. The clinician decides.

Can I do all of this online?

Yes, for many adults. Some services handle the visit, the home test, the results, and the prescription by video and mail. "Online" is how the care is delivered. It doesn't mean there is no test.

A home test isn't right for everyone. And if a home test comes back negative, unclear, or without enough data, guidelines recommend a lab study next, set up through your clinician. AASM guideline (opens in a new tab).

What a first test costs in cash

These are published cash prices from our home sleep test comparison, checked October 7, 2026:

• Lofta: $189 in the purchase area. The same page also advertises $149, so confirm the final price. Lofta test page (opens in a new tab)
• Sleep Doctor: $189 for the cash home sleep study (opens in a new tab). Its pages describe consultation as both optional and included, while the cash testing process (opens in a new tab) can require one. Confirm which visits your price includes.
• BlueSleep: $464.50 for one test, an initial visit, a results visit, and shipping. That's our sum of its published $215 + $115 + $115 + $19.50 fees; additional care costs extra. Pricing (opens in a new tab) · Testing and shipping (opens in a new tab).

One test-and-machine example, using our arithmetic: Lofta's displayed $189 test price plus the same $1,004 machine. $189 + $1,004 = $1,193. A mask and optional heated hose cost extra. Any applicable shipping or tax is not included.

A first test and a renewal are different services. Don't compare $189 to $35 as if one is the cheaper version of the other.

Who can write a CPAP prescription?

A physician, or another clinician your state licenses to order it. It does not have to be a sleep specialist. Your primary care office is a fair place to ask.

For an online visit, the clinician must be allowed to treat you where you're located. HHS explains telehealth licensing (opens in a new tab).

What a CPAP prescription needs to say

Each seller sets its own checklist, but they ask for the same core details. Here is the list ResMed's shop publishes. ResMed Shop prescription FAQ (opens in a new tab)

• Your full name
• Your date of birth
• Your diagnosis
• Device type and settings
• Mask and accessories
• Length of need (ResMed's shop looks for "99 months" or "lifetime")
• The prescriber's name and signature
• The prescriber's contact information

"Device type" means CPAP (one fixed pressure), APAP (auto-adjusting), or BiPAP (two pressures). PAP is the umbrella word for all three.

If a line is missing, only the prescriber can add it. Don't fill it in yourself.

Three questions that save you a second trip. Ask your prescriber:

• "Does this cover the kind of machine I want to buy?"
• "Can it say mask of my choice?"
• "Can the length of need say lifetime, if that fits my case?"

Which paper do you actually have?

What to do if a seller rejects your prescription

Ask one thing before you buy anything else: "Which exact line or paper is the problem?"

Hello,

You told me my prescription can't be used. Please tell me exactly which line or document is missing or not accepted.

1. Is this a rule for cash orders, a rule for insurance, or a clinical concern?
2. Can my prescriber fix or resend the order I have, or do you need a new order with a new date?
3. If you are asking for a new sleep study, which rule requires it? I want to share that with my clinician.

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Order number]

Does a CPAP prescription expire?

There isn't one expiration date that applies to every prescription. Read your own copy, then ask the seller if they'll take it.

• If it says "lifetime need" or "99 months," ResMed's shop treats it as good for as long as you need therapy. If it shows an end date, it's good until that date. ResMed Shop prescription FAQ (opens in a new tab)
• Renewal services write them for different lengths. CPAP.com says its renewals are written for life. Easy Breathe says its renewals are good for 8 years (opens in a new tab). Neither claim makes an insurer or another seller accept older paperwork.
• Insurance suppliers can want newer paperwork. One example: HealthPartners' home medical store asks for a prescription and visit notes from the last six months before it provides a new machine. HealthPartners (opens in a new tab)

When someone tells you it's "too old," find out which thing they mean:

What you can buy without a prescription

These are sellers' published policies, checked October 7, 2026.

Sources: CPAP.com help article (opens in a new tab) · ResMed Shop prescription FAQ (opens in a new tab) · CPAPnation prescription policy (opens in a new tab) · CPAPnation ClimateLineAir 10 listing (opens in a new tab)

If you bill insurance, your plan can ask for a prescription for supplies too.

Using insurance or Medicare

A prescription lets a seller ship to you. It does not make your plan pay. Those are two separate approvals.

One thing to know before you spend $35: a cash renewal doesn't turn a cash-only seller into a covered one. Lofta and ResMed's shop both state they have no Medicare supplier number, so Medicare won't pay for what they sell. Lofta (opens in a new tab) · ResMed Shop insurance FAQ (opens in a new tab)

How Original Medicare covers CPAP

• Medicare may cover a 12-week trial after an obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis.
• After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount if the supplier accepts assignment.
• Medicare pays to rent the machine for 13 continuous months, as long as you're using it. After those rental payments, you own it.
• Your doctor or other prescribing provider and your equipment supplier must be enrolled in Medicare.

Source: Medicare.gov CPAP coverage (opens in a new tab)

Initial coverage requires an in-person clinical evaluation before the sleep test and a qualifying test result. To keep coverage past the trial, the policy requires an in-person follow-up evaluation between days 31 and 91 showing that symptoms have improved, plus recorded use of at least 4 hours a night on at least 70% of nights in a consecutive 30-day period during the first 3 months. Your treating clinician must review that usage record. CGS Medicare (opens in a new tab) · CMS coverage policy (opens in a new tab)

Does Medicare require a new sleep study for a replacement CPAP?

For a machine originally provided and covered under Original Medicare, the replacement policy does not require a new sleep study in the situations below.

Source: CMS coverage policy L33718 (opens in a new tab)

A replacement still needs a new order from your clinician. CMS's order rules (opens in a new tab) require one when equipment is replaced. If you got your CPAP before you joined Original Medicare, different record rules apply. Ask your Medicare supplier what they need.

Questions to ask before you pay

Before I pay for a test, a renewal visit, or a machine, please confirm:

1. Which clinicians and equipment suppliers are covered under my plan?
2. Will you accept my current sleep study report and my current equipment order?
3. Do I need a new order, an appointment, prior authorization, or other records?
4. If you require a new sleep study, which coverage rule makes it necessary?
5. What will I pay, and what is not covered?

More on what plans cover and what they don't: Understand CPAP costs.

Can you buy a CPAP machine without a prescription?

Not from a reputable U.S. seller. The federal rule covers the sale, so real sellers check before they ship.

People do find used machines on marketplace sites. A used or refurbished machine still needs to match your prescription. Before you buy, check:

• Whether the seller can document its use, cleaning, and service history
• What warranty, return option, and setup help actually come with it
• Whether your insurer will cover this seller and this purchase
• Whether the exact model and settings match your prescription
• Whether the model or serial number is affected by a recall

FDA guidance on recalled Philips machines (opens in a new tab) explains how to check a device. If you already use a recalled machine, talk with your clinician about what to use while it is repaired or replaced.

If you already use CPAP, start by requesting a copy of your order. If you need a renewal and meet the service's rules, a $35 review may be enough. It is still the clinician's decision.

If you've never been tested, a machine is a guess. Loud snoring and tiredness have more than one cause, and some kinds of sleep apnea need a different device. The test and a clinician's evaluation help determine which treatment fits.

When to call a clinician instead of renewing paperwork

A renewal updates your order. It doesn't replace ongoing follow-up on whether your treatment still works. Talk to the clinician who manages your care if:

• Your symptoms are back, or never went away, even though you use your machine
• Your weight has changed a lot since you were diagnosed
• You have a new or changed heart condition
• Your machine's data looks off and nobody can explain it

These are the kinds of changes sleep medicine guidance lists as reasons a follow-up test may help. Your clinician makes the call. AASM guidance (opens in a new tab)

Is this for a child, or for central or complex sleep apnea? Start with a sleep clinician. This guide focuses on adults with obstructive sleep apnea. Ask a renewal service about its age and device limits before paying.

Machine broken tonight? Call your supplier and your clinic today. A renewal's turnaround time is not a promise of when a machine arrives.

More CPAP prescription questions

Does a travel CPAP or an auto CPAP need a prescription?

Yes. They're still CPAP machines. ResMed's shop, for example, says a prescription is required for its AirMini travel machine. Before you pay for a renewal, ask the seller whether the prescription you already have covers the machine you want.

Can I use a prescription from another country?

Ask the U.S. seller first. ResMed's shop says it accepts one if it's in English or easy to translate, the doctor's credentials can be checked, and it has all the required details. That's one seller's rule. Others may differ.

Why does a CPAP need a prescription at all?

CPAP machines are sold as prescription devices. Their label carries "Rx only" or the equivalent federal caution statement. Federal labeling rule (opens in a new tab) · FDA explanation (opens in a new tab). The prescription shows that a clinician confirmed your diagnosis and picked the device type and settings.

If you've used CPAP for years, it can feel like a toll booth. That's why this page starts with a copy from your clinic, then a $35 review for eligible users.

Your next step

Start with the paper you already have. If it's missing, send the records request. If you already use CPAP and need an updated order, compare the two renewals. If you've never been diagnosed, start with the first-prescription steps. Once a seller accepts your prescription, compare what each machine package includes.

How we checked this page

We read the rules, clinical guidance, and company pages linked above on October 7, 2026. Prices and terms are what each company publishes. We did not buy these services, check anyone's insurance, or have a clinician review this page.

Prices and terms change. Confirm them with the company before you pay. See something that's changed? Send us the source.

How we compare · Editorial standards