Getting a CPAP machine requires a sleep apnea diagnosis and a prescription from a doctor. You cannot legally purchase one without a prescription in the United States, but the process is straightforward: get a sleep study, receive your diagnosis, and then choose where to buy or rent your machine. Most people can complete the entire process in a few weeks.
Step 1: Get a Sleep Study
Before a doctor can prescribe a CPAP, you need a confirmed diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. That means a sleep study, which measures how many times per hour your breathing stops or becomes shallow while you sleep. This number is called your Apnea-Hypopnea Index, or AHI.
You have two options for testing: an in-lab study or a home sleep test. In-lab polysomnography is the gold standard. You spend a night at a sleep center hooked up to sensors that track your brain waves, heart rate, oxygen levels, and breathing. It’s thorough but involves a waiting list, an overnight stay, and a higher price tag.
Home sleep tests are simpler. You pick up a portable device from your doctor’s office or have one mailed to you, wear it for one or two nights in your own bed, and return it. These tests are less expensive, more convenient, and produce results that correlate well with in-lab studies. Research shows home tests detect obstructive sleep apnea with about 91% accuracy overall. They’re best suited for people with a straightforward clinical picture, meaning you snore, feel excessively tired during the day, and don’t have other complex sleep or cardiac conditions. If your home test is inconclusive, your doctor will likely recommend a full in-lab study.
Step 2: Understand Your Diagnosis
Sleep apnea severity is categorized by how many breathing disruptions you have per hour:
- Mild: 5 to fewer than 15 events per hour
- Moderate: 15 to fewer than 30 events per hour
- Severe: 30 or more events per hour
Your AHI score determines whether you qualify for a CPAP and plays a role in insurance coverage. For Medicare (and many private insurers that follow the same guidelines), you qualify if your AHI is 15 or higher. If your AHI falls between 5 and 14, you can still qualify, but your doctor needs to document additional symptoms or conditions: excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired thinking, mood disorders, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of stroke. Your doctor handles this documentation, but it helps to be specific about your symptoms during your appointment.
Step 3: Get a Prescription
A CPAP is classified as a medical device, so you need a valid prescription to purchase one from any legitimate seller. Your sleep specialist or primary care doctor writes this after reviewing your sleep study results. The prescription specifies the type of device (CPAP, APAP, or BiPAP) and the pressure settings you need.
If you already have a diagnosis but your prescription has expired, most suppliers require a prescription written within the last one to two years. You’ll need to contact your doctor for a renewal, which sometimes requires a follow-up visit or an updated sleep study.
Step 4: Choose Where to Buy
You have two main routes: a durable medical equipment (DME) provider or an online CPAP retailer. Each has tradeoffs worth considering.
DME Providers and Medical Supply Stores
A DME provider is a local company that supplies medical equipment. Your sleep clinic will often refer you to one directly. The biggest advantage here is hands-on support. Respiratory therapists or trained staff walk you through setup, help you fit your mask, and troubleshoot problems in person. This is especially valuable if you’ve never used a CPAP before, because mask fit is the single biggest factor in whether people stick with treatment. DME providers also typically accept insurance and handle the billing, which can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket cost. The downsides are that you may pay higher sticker prices if insurance doesn’t cover the purchase, and you’ll need to visit their location.
Online CPAP Retailers
Online stores offer convenience, competitive pricing, and a wider selection. Many run discounts for new customers and offer bundle deals on accessories like masks, hoses, and filters. If you’re comfortable setting up equipment on your own or have used a CPAP before, this route saves time and often money. The catch is that most online retailers do not accept insurance, so you’ll pay the full price upfront. You can sometimes submit receipts to your insurer for partial reimbursement, but this varies by plan.
One important warning: avoid buying CPAP equipment from general marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. These platforms are common sources of used, expired, or counterfeit products. Stick to established CPAP specialty retailers that require a prescription before completing your order.
What a CPAP Machine Costs
Without insurance, a standard CPAP machine typically costs between $500 and $1,000. An APAP (auto-adjusting) machine, which automatically varies pressure throughout the night, runs between $600 and $1,600. A BiPAP, which delivers different pressures for inhaling and exhaling and is prescribed for more complex cases, costs between $1,700 and $3,000. These prices cover the machine only. You’ll also need a mask ($50 to $200), tubing, and filters, which need regular replacement.
With insurance, your costs drop considerably. Many plans cover 80% or more of the machine cost after your deductible is met. Some insurers rent the machine to you on a month-to-month basis for about 10 to 13 months before you own it outright. During this rental period, most insurers require you to demonstrate that you’re actually using the device. They pull usage data from your machine’s built-in tracker, and if you don’t meet minimum compliance (typically using it at least 4 hours per night on 70% of nights over a 30-day period), your insurer may stop covering it.
What to Expect After You Get It
Your machine will arrive with a mask, tubing, a humidifier chamber (usually built in), and basic filters. Plan on spending the first week or two adjusting. The most common early complaints are mask discomfort, air leaks around the seal, dry mouth, and a general feeling of awkwardness while trying to fall asleep with pressurized air flowing into your nose or mouth. These are normal and almost always fixable.
If your mask doesn’t feel right, try a different style before giving up on the machine altogether. Masks come in three main types: nasal pillows that sit just at your nostrils, nasal masks that cover your nose, and full-face masks that cover your nose and mouth. Most DME providers and online retailers allow mask exchanges within 30 days. Your prescribing doctor or DME provider can also adjust your pressure settings if the airflow feels too strong or too weak.
Most modern CPAP machines connect to a smartphone app that tracks your nightly usage, leak rate, and remaining breathing events. This data is useful for your own awareness and for follow-up appointments with your sleep doctor, who will typically want to see you one to three months after you start therapy to review how things are going.