Key Takeaways
- Obtaining a CPAP prescription from a licensed physician is a necessary step to ensure you are getting the proper equipment for the specific needs of your treatment.
- Although you can get a CPAP prescription from your doctor or healthcare provider, you can also do it quickly and efficiently online.
- Sleep Care Online has an excellent team of sleep experts that are available to consult with patients via telehealth visits.
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, chances are you also need a prescription for CPAP therapy. CPAP provides pressurized air to a patient’s airway to prevent obstructions while sleeping. CPAP machines require a prescription from a doctor, and as healthcare turns more toward virtual care, you may be curious about how to get a CPAP prescription online.
Do You Need A Doctor’s Prescription For A CPAP Machine?
Yes, your general practitioner or family doctor can prescribe an RX for sleep apnea and CPAP therapy for you. If you think you may have sleep apnea, your doctor may first ask some qualifying questions, known as the STOP-BANG questionnaire. These questions determine your risk factor for sleep apnea and cover common symptoms, such as:
- Loud snoring
- Excessive fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Observed pauses in breathing while asleep
Depending on your answers, your doctor may recommend an overnight sleep study to confirm your diagnosis. Home sleep apnea tests, like the WatchPAT ONE E disposable device offered in our Complete Care Package, are becoming more popular and are generally more cost-efficient than overnight lab tests. Call us today at 866-465-4478 to get a CPAP prescription online.
How to Get a CPAP Prescription
General practitioners aren’t the only ones who can prescribe a CPAP machine. Sleep specialists undergo special training and testing to ensure they can diagnose all sleep-related disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea.
With Sleep Care Online, our team of healthcare practitioners is available to consult with patients via telehealth visits. Your sleep doctor will review the results of your home sleep test and if necessary, prescribe CPAP therapy – all online!
How Long is a CPAP Prescription Good For?
While some RX for sleep apnea online do not have an expiration date, some physicians may note one. If that is the case, they may want to reevaluate your sleep apnea treatment after some time. If continued treatment is necessary, a new prescription is required.
Sleep Care Online allows current CPAP patients to renew their CPAP prescriptions online and from the comfort of their own homes.
Order our SimpleRX Renewal Package!
Do You Need A Prescription For A CPAP Machine?
Your CPAP therapy prescription is not only required by law but also ensures that you are getting the proper treatment for your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). One size for CPAP therapy does not fit all, and a prescription from your doctor helps you select the best CPAP equipment customized for your needs.
CPAP Rx For Sleep Apnea is the Law
The FDA classifies CPAP machines as Class II Medical Devices1, which require a prescription. This federal government regulation ensures that your CPAP equipment retailer is providing you with the proper equipment for your treatment.
Medical Reasons For a CPAP Prescription (RX)
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that requires accurate treatment. Obtaining a prescription from a licensed physician is a necessary step to ensure your equipment meets the specific needs of your treatment. A valid CPAP prescription will include information such as:
- Type of PAP therapy required (CPAP, APAP, or BiPAP)
- Recommended PAP settings
- Recommended CPAP mask type
- Expiration date
Some physicians may recommend a humidifier as part of their prescription. Humidifiers are optional, and best suited for patients living in dry or elevated climates.
Why Do You Need a Prescription for a CPAP Machine?
- In order for you to buy equipment your CPAP prescription needs to have the following:
- Contact information of the physician
- Physician’s signature
- Patient’s full name
- Accurate Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea
- Duration for prescription
- Type of machine required for therapy (CPAP, BiPAP, APAP, etc.)
- Machine settings for airflow
- Mask and delivery system
- A recommended schedule for replacement accessories
Do You Need a Prescription for a CPAP Mask?
Additional CPAP supplies such as a CPAP mask do not require a prescription. Selecting CPAP masks is usually a personal preference, depending on your comfort. Though your doctor or a sleep specialist can recommend a CPAP, it is ultimately about what works best for you.
Our colleagues at The CPAP Shop provide several resources to help you select the perfect CPAP mask.
Can I Buy a CPAP Machine Without a Prescription For Sleep Apnea?
FDA regulations make it mandatory for all CPAP machines to be sold as therapy devices and require prescriptions for purchases. In clear words, you cannot purchase a CPAP machine, mask, or other equipment without a valid and legitimate prescription from a licensed medical professional or sleep specialist.
Sleep Care online provides an easy way for you to take an at-home sleep test and get a diagnosis of sleep apnea. For more information on CPAP machines and equipment, visit our website The CPAP Shop.
Can You Buy a CPAP Machine Without a Prescription?
Per FDA guidelines, it is illegal to sell CPAP machines without a valid physician’s prescription. By working with Sleep Care Online, you will receive individual consultations from a sleep expert as well as a prescription for your CPAP therapy. Here is how it works:
- With the Complete Care Package, schedule a 10-minute telehealth visit with a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms, upcoming sleep study, test results, and treatment options.
- A multi-night, disposable home sleep apnea test is mailed to your home to be completed at your convenience.
- A physician analyzes the sleep data and provides a prescription if needed.
- Schedule an optional follow-up appointment (additional fee applies).
- We connect you to sleep experts who can offer customized sleep therapy options, assistance in equipment purchase, and initial set-up.
For CPAP prescriptions online, simply schedule a one-time telehealth to consult with one of our sleep doctors and receive your updated prescription as quickly as the same day.
If you have any additional questions about home sleep tests, the WatchPAT ONE E disposable device, or Sleep Care Online in general, please contact us. Call us at 866-465-4478 or email us at contact@sleepcareonline.com.
Order a Home Sleep Test Today!
Reference:
- US Food & Drug Administration. Learn if a Medical Device Has Been Cleared by the FDA for Marketing. 2017 Dec 29. Accessed October 2019.