Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in St. Louis, MO
Find HBOT providers in St. Louis, Missouri. Barnes-Jewish Hospital, SSM Health, Mercy, insurance coverage, and what to expect at your first session.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in St. Louis, MO
St. Louis has one of the strongest academic medical centers in the country. Barnes-Jewish Hospital — affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine — is regularly ranked among the top hospitals in the United States. For HBOT specifically, that means patients in the St. Louis metro have access to clinical expertise that most cities can’t match.
Finding HBOT Providers in St. Louis
Barnes-Jewish Hospital is the flagship of BJC HealthCare, the region’s largest health system. Washington University Medicine’s academic affiliation gives Barnes-Jewish the research depth and clinical specialization that complex wound care and hyperbaric cases require. If you have a complicated or non-healing wound, a condition like radiation tissue injury, or a complex infection involving bone, an academic center of this caliber is where specialized HBOT expertise tends to be strongest.
SSM Health has a large St. Louis presence. SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital (affiliated with SLU School of Medicine) and several other SSM campuses serve the metro area. SSM is a major Catholic health system with wound care infrastructure across the region.
Mercy is another significant St. Louis-area health system. Mercy Hospital St. Louis and multiple regional facilities extend Mercy’s reach across the metro and into surrounding Missouri counties.
The St. Louis metro crosses into Illinois. Patients from the Metro East — Belleville, O’Fallon, Scott Air Force Base — often use St. Louis health systems for specialty care. Check network status with your insurer regardless of which side of the river you’re on.
Use the UHMS provider search at uhms.org to find currently accredited facilities. Call to confirm availability before scheduling.
Read our guide to choosing an HBOT clinic before you book.
Insurance and Medicare Coverage in St. Louis
HBOT coverage in St. Louis follows federal Medicare rules.
Medicare Part B covers HBOT for 14 FDA-approved conditions at hospital outpatient facilities. Barnes-Jewish, SSM Health, and Mercy all have qualifying outpatient settings. Your cost is typically 20% coinsurance after the Part B deductible. Medicare reimbursement rates change annually — get a current estimate from the billing team before you start.
Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) may cover HBOT for FDA-approved conditions depending on the managed care plan and the facility’s network. Prior authorization is standard. Contact the billing department before scheduling.
Commercial insurers in the St. Louis market — Anthem, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and others — follow Medicare criteria for HBOT. Prior authorization is almost always required. Illinois-based patients should check whether their specific plan covers care at Missouri facilities.
Off-label uses of HBOT are not covered by any insurance plan.
Full guides: Does Insurance Cover HBOT? and How Much Does HBOT Cost?
What to Expect at Your First Session
At a hospital-based HBOT program in St. Louis, your first appointment is a physician evaluation. The hyperbaric medicine physician reviews your condition, your medications, and your medical history. Some medications interact with HBOT — your care team will flag anything that needs to be addressed before treatment begins.
Sessions run 90 minutes to two hours, including pressurization and depressurization. Most courses involve daily sessions, Monday through Friday, over several consecutive weeks. Wear cotton clothing. No lotions, perfumes, or electronics inside the chamber. Staff can communicate with you throughout each session.
Read our first HBOT session guide before your first appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find hyperbaric oxygen therapy in St. Louis?
St. Louis has hospital-based HBOT access through Barnes-Jewish Hospital (part of BJC HealthCare, affiliated with Washington University Medicine), SSM Health, and Mercy. Use the UHMS provider search at uhms.org to find accredited facilities near your zip code and call to confirm current program availability.
Does Medicare cover HBOT in St. Louis?
Medicare Part B covers HBOT for 14 FDA-approved conditions at hospital outpatient facilities. Federal coverage rules apply equally in St. Louis. Your cost is typically 20% coinsurance after the Part B deductible. Medicare rates change annually — verify current figures with the facility’s billing team before starting treatment.
Can patients from Illinois access HBOT providers in St. Louis?
St. Louis sits on the Missouri-Illinois border, and many St. Louis metro residents live in Illinois. Patients from the Metro East area — Belleville, O’Fallon, Edwardsville — often use St. Louis health systems for specialty care. Check with your Illinois-based insurer to confirm whether the St. Louis facility is in your plan’s network before scheduling.
See more providers in Missouri: Missouri HBOT Provider Directory
Medical Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before pursuing any medical treatment.