CPAP Replacement Schedule: What to Replace and When

Nobody tells you that CPAP equipment is consumable. You get a machine and a mask, and unless someone walks you through it, you assume the mask is the mask — the way a pair of glasses is a pair of glasses.

It isn’t. Silicone degrades, foam clogs, and plastic clouds. And the item that wears out fastest is the one that determines whether your therapy works at all.

The schedule

These are the intervals used in most US insurance resupply schedules. Your specific plan may differ slightly, so confirm with your supplier.

The cushion is the one that matters

If you take one thing from this page: replace your cushion on schedule.

Silicone in constant contact with skin oil, warmth, and moisture loses its elasticity. A worn cushion goes slightly tacky, then shiny, then stiff. It stops inflating into a seal and starts sticking to your face — which means it leaks, and you compensate by tightening the straps, which gives you red marks and a worse leak.

An enormous share of “I can’t get this mask to stop leaking” problems are three-month-old cushions. If you can’t remember your last replacement, that’s very likely your answer. See fixing mask leaks.

Filters

Cheap, easy to forget, and the thing standing between your airway and everything in your bedroom air.

A clogged filter makes the machine work harder, reduces airflow, and can make your therapy quietly less effective. If you have pets, live somewhere dusty, or run the machine near a floor, replace more often than the schedule says. Hold one up to the light — if you can’t see through it, it’s overdue.

Hoses

Hoses develop small cracks and pinholes, usually near the ends where they flex most. That’s a leak you’ll never fix by adjusting your mask, because it isn’t at your mask.

Also worth knowing: a hose that never fully dries between washes will eventually smell, and that smell doesn’t come out. Hang it in a loop to drain. Full routine in how to clean your CPAP.

Humidifier chamber

Chambers cloud and scale, particularly with tap water. A scaled chamber humidifies less effectively, which shows up as dryness you can’t fix by turning humidity up.

Using distilled water extends chamber life substantially — enough that it’s the cheapest maintenance decision you can make.

What insurance covers

Medicare covers replacement supplies alongside the machine, with the same cost-sharing: “you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (if your supplier accepts assignment) for the machine rental and related supplies (like masks and tubing)”¹ .

Most commercial plans run similar resupply schedules, often modelled on Medicare’s.

The thing worth knowing is that suppliers generally don’t send supplies unless you ask. Many run automated resupply programmes where they contact you when items are due — and if you’ve ever declined one of those calls, or changed phone numbers, you may have been quietly off the programme for years.

Call your DME supplier and ask two questions: what am I eligible for, and when was I last sent anything. People are frequently surprised.

Buying out of pocket

Sometimes it makes sense — you want a second mask style for allergy season, your plan’s schedule is stingier than your actual wear rate, or you want a spare hose for travel.

Note the split: complete masks with headgear are prescription devices in the US, but replacement cushions, headgear sold separately, tubing, filters, and cleaning supplies generally are not. That’s why you can find those parts easily and complete masks less so.

Making the schedule extend itself

Cleaning and replacement are the same conversation. A cushion wiped daily lasts noticeably longer than one that sits in skin oil for three months — and the FDA’s guidance is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which “normally include regular cleaning with soap and water”² .

Skip the ozone and UV gadgets; the FDA has stated those are not legally marketed for this use and their safety is unknown² . More in ozone and UV CPAP cleaners.