Funding for Home Oxygen [ Back to  Home Oxygen  ]

Most provinces have guidelines to determine provincial funding of your oxygen therapy. Other funding programs include Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), Insurance coverage and direct Private Pay. 

Provincial Government Funding:

As provincial government Home Oxygen Programs are the most common, VitalAire will assist you with your funding application.

Federal Government Funding:

There are funding programs for Home Oxygen available from the Federal Government, for those who qualify under NIHB or VAC benefits.

In some situations, the default funding program may be Private Insurance or Extended Health Benefits. These benefits may also reimburse a portion of any private fees whether or not you qualify for Provincial Home Oxygen Programs. VitalAire will assist you in applying for any supplemental coverage.

You have an option to use your private insurance benefits or to privately pay for home oxygen. There are occasions when you may benefit from oxygen therapy but not qualify for provincial funding, examples include:

1) Exercise:
The findings suggest that supplemental oxygen shows improvement in exercise performance and pulmonary hypertension (blood pressure in your lungs) during exercise.
Ref: Chest 2002; 122;457 - 463

2) Daily Activities:
Most of the patients studied desaturated during the walk test. Oxygen administration avoided desaturation and could increase the distance walked and reduced dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Ref: Chest 2001: 120: 437 – 443

3) Sleep:
During a 3 year follow up, pulmonary arterial pressure decreased in (desaturating) patients who had been treated with oxygen during sleep and increased in (desarurating) control patients (not treated with oxygen during sleep).
Ref: Chest 2005; 128;3828 - 3837

4) Coexisting Conditions:
Nocturnal (nightly) oxygen therapy may be considered if desaturation occurs for protracted periods or in the presence of pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale or other associated medical conditions.
Ref: Canadian Thoracic Society Recommendations for
Management of COPD - 2003 

5) Extreme Shortness of Breath:
Patients with incapacitating dyspnea (shortness of breath) and reduced ventilatory and exercise capacity (limited activities) may benefit from oxygen therapy during activity even though they do not meet the current government funding guidelines.
Ref: Canadian Thoracic Society Recommendations for
Management of COPD - 2003     

It is important to note that some people will respond better to oxygen therapy than others. Your doctor can advise you if you should continue the oxygen therapy. Oxygen must be prescribed by your doctor. If you do not qualify for provincial government funding, you can purchase oxygen directly.