Prescription Policy & FAQ
In compliance with FDA regulations, CPAPXchange requires a prescription for selected items available on this site including PAP machines, PAP masks, oxygen concentrators, and selected other items.
Prescriptions may be faxed, emailed, or mailed to us. If you are unable to obtain a copy of your prescription we can call your doctor and request the prescription on your behalf. If your order requires a prescription, and we do not have one for you in our files, we will email you a prescription request and hold your order until your prescription is received.
Click Here to Upload your prescription
Do I Have to Send a New Prescription Every Time I Order?
Once we have your prescription we'll keep it on file for all future orders so there is no need to send a new prescription every time you order.
Do I Need a New Prescription or Will My Old One do?
In general prescriptions for CPAP/BiPAP and Oxygen therapy are valid for life so your prescription will qualify regardless of how old it is. If you are unsure if your prescription is valid we would be happy to review it to ensure that it meets current FDA guidelines for purchase.
Does My Prescription Need to Be From a US Doctor?
In most cases, if your primary residence is in a foreign country and you have a prescription from your doctor in that country it should be valid for your purchase as long as it meets the requirements outlined above. If you are unsure if your prescription is valid we would be happy to review it to ensure that it meets current FDA guidelines for purchase. We are only authorized to sell and ship Respironics and ResMed masks and machines to end-users residing in the United States with a prescription from a U.S. doctor.
Who Can Write My Prescription?
Prescriptions can be written by any of the following licensed professionals: MD (medical doctor), PCP (Primary Care Physician), Psychiatrist, Dentist, Doctor of Osteopathy, Physician's Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, or Naturopathic Physician. Prescriptions from Chiropractors, Optometrists, Podiatrists, and Psychologists are not acceptable unless the prescriber is also a licensed MD or DO.
Does My Prescription Have to Be in English?
No. In most cases we can accept prescriptions written in any language. In certain circumstances we may require a certified translation be provided in English. We will inform you, after reviewing your prescription, if this is the case.
I Have Additional Questions About Prescription Requirements
If you have additional questions about our prescription requirements please contact us and we'll be happy to help.
What Should a Prescription Say?
Prescriptions are generally provided on your doctor's prescription pad, office letterhead, or printed prescription form. All prescriptions must contain your doctor's signature, your doctor's contact information, the patient's full name, and a description of the therapy prescribed (see examples below).
You can FAX your prescription to 727-499-0901 or email it to service@cpapx.com.
- CPAP Prescriptions - Should contain the following words or phrases: CPAP, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or something similar; as well as the specific pressure at which your CPAP should be set. Typical CPAP pressure notations would be 10, 10CM, 12CM H2O, 17CM, etc.
- APAP / Auto-CPAP Prescriptions - Should contain the following words or phrases: Auto-CPAP, AutoPAP, APAP, AutoSet, Auto Adjusting CPAP, CPAP, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or something similar. In addition if your doctor would like us to set the system to a specific pressure range that should be specified as well. If no pressure range is specified on your auto-cpap prescription we will leave your machine at manufacturer's default settings. Typical APAP pressure range notations would be 4-10, 4-10CM, 14-18CM H2O, 4-8CM, etc.
- BiPAP / BiLevel Prescriptions - Should contain the following words or phrases: BiPAP, BiLevel, VPAP, or something similar; as well as the specific pressures at which your BiPAP should be set. BiPAP pressures are specified as two numbers: Inspiration or IPAP and Expiration or EPAP. Examples of typical BiPAP pressure notations would be IPAP 10 EPAP 4, 10/4CM, IPAP 18 EPAP 6, 18/6, etc.
- Auto-BiPAP / Auto-BiLevel Prescriptions - Should contain the following words or phrases: BiPAP Auto, Auto-BiPAP, BiLevel, VPAP, or something similar. In addition if your doctor would like us to set the system to specific pressure ranges that should be specified as well.
- BiPAP ST / BiLevel ST Prescriptions - Prescriptions for these systems MUST include the ST or Backup Rate notation. They contain the following words or phrases: BiPAP ST, BiLevel ST, VPAP ST, BiPAP with Backup Rate, or something similar. In addition they must contain the specific pressures to which your BiPAP ST should be set.
- BiPAP Auto SV Prescriptions - Should contain the following words or phrases: BiPAP SV, VPAP SV, VPAP Adapt, BiPAP Servo Ventilation, BiPAP Adapt SV, or something similar. Prescriptions for SV systems MUST include either an IPAP pressure range and a single EPAP setting OR a single IPAP setting and an EPAP pressure range. BiPAP Auto SV prescription may include Backup Rate (BPM) settings as well.
- Humidifier Prescriptions - Should contain one of the following words or phrases: CPAP Humidifier, BiPAP Humidifier, Heated Humidifier, HH, CPAP Supplies, BiPAP Supplies, BiLevel Humidifier, APAP HH, CPAP, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, APAP, Auto-CPAP, AutoSet, Auto Adjusting CPAP, BiPAP, BiLevel, BiPAP Auto, VPAP, BiPAP ST, etc.
- Mask Prescriptions - Should contain one of the following words or phrases: CPAP Mask, BiPAP Mask, CPAP Supplies, BiPAP Supplies, BiLevel Mask, APAP Mask, CPAP, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, APAP, Auto-CPAP, AutoSet, Auto Adjusting CPAP, BiPAP, BiLevel, BiPAP Auto, VPAP, VPAP ST, BiPAP ST, etc.