Medicare Providers: How to Find Doctors That Accept Medicare

Medicare providers are not nearly as hard to find as most new Medicare beneficiaries think. Nearly 1.5 million physicians and hospitals in the U.S. participate in Medicare, including the vast majority of doctors and hospitals, according to the official Care Compare tool from Medicare.gov and the physician finder. The problem is no provider who does not accept Medicare exists. It's locating one who accepts new Medicare patients, is enrolled in your particular Medicare Advantage plan (if you have one), and is a Medicare assignee to help keep your expense forecasted.

This guide will discuss finding Medicare providers, Medicare participating providers, non-participating providers, assignment, and Medicare Advantage networks. The information is from Medicare.gov, CMS and KFF. 

Doctors that accept Medicare: how widespread is participation?

Doctors that accept Medicare include the majority of U.S. physicians. According to KFF research, about 92% of office-based physicians accept new Medicare patients. Some specialties have higher rates (cardiology, oncology, primary care for adults 65+), while others have somewhat lower rates (some specialty surgical practices, certain mental health providers). This variability is why verifying acceptance before booking is important.

Three categories of Medicare provider participation exist:

The vast majority of doctors are "participating providers" and accept Medicare assignment. About 5% to 10% are "non-participating," meaning they accept Medicare patients but can charge up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount as "Part B excess charges." Plan G Medigap covers these excess charges; Plan N does not. Less than 1% of doctors have formally opted out of Medicare.

How to check if doctor takes Medicare

How to check if doctor takes medicare before booking your appointment:

1. Use Medicare.gov's Care Compare tool. The official Medicare physician finder lets you search by name, location, and specialty. Filter by accepting new patients and Medicare assignment.

2. Call the practice directly. Confirm three things: (1) Do you accept Medicare?; (2) Are you a participating provider (accepting assignment)?; (3) Are you accepting new Medicare patients?

3. Check your Medicare Advantage plan's directory. If you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, what matters is whether the provider is in your specific plan's network, not just whether they accept Medicare generally. Each plan has its own provider directory.

4. Verify before each visit. Provider participation can change. Even if your doctor accepted Medicare last year, they may have changed status. Re-verify if it's been more than 6 to 12 months since your last visit.

A practical reality: the Medicare.gov directory is often more current than individual practice websites. If you find a discrepancy, call the practice directly to confirm.

Medicare doctor near me: practical search strategies

Medicare doctor near me searches return many results, but quality and acceptance vary. The most reliable strategies:

For primary care:

• Family medicine physicians and internal medicine physicians who routinely treat 65+ patients are usually the best fit

• Geriatricians (specialty internal medicine for older adults) provide focused care but are limited in number

• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) accept Medicare and provide comprehensive primary care

For specialty care:

• Use Medicare.gov's specialty filter to find specialists in your area

• Check whether your insurance is in-network for Medicare Advantage plans

• For high-demand specialties (cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics), book several months out and confirm acceptance

For new Medicare beneficiaries:

• Your Medicare Advantage plan's care manager or your primary care physician's office can often help with referrals

• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free counseling on finding providers

• Hospital systems often have provider directories specifically for Medicare patients

For other Medicare-related provider searches, see our Medicare home health care cost per hour guide and does Medicare cover home health care guide. For specialty access on Medicaid, see our eye doctors that accept Medicaid and dermatologists that accept Medicaid guides.

Find Medicare providers using the Medicare physician finder

Find medicare providers most reliably through the Medicare.gov Care Compare tool, which is the federal government's official directory. The tool includes:

• All Medicare-participating physicians, hospitals, dialysis facilities, home health agencies, hospice providers, and skilled nursing facilities

• Provider quality ratings (where available)

• Acceptance of new Medicare patients indicator

• Specialty and subspecialty filters

• Location-based search with distance filters

• Direct contact information for each provider

Care Compare is free, regularly updated by CMS, and considered the most accurate Medicare provider directory available. Third-party directories may have additional features but often lag in updating provider participation status.

Medicare Advantage networks vs Original Medicare

Medicare provider directory needs are different depending on your coverage type:

Original Medicare (Parts A and B):

• Use any provider that accepts Medicare nationwide

• No referrals needed for specialists

• No prior authorization required for most services

• The Medicare.gov physician finder is your primary directory

Medicare Advantage (Part C):

• Must use providers in your specific plan's network

• May need referrals for specialists (HMO plans)

• Prior authorization often required for procedures

• Use your specific MA plan's directory, not Medicare.gov's general one

About 54% of Medicare-eligible adults are now on Medicare Advantage in 2026, per KFF Medicare Advantage data. For Medicare Advantage members, network adherence is critical. Going out-of-network often means full out-of-pocket costs.

For specific Medicare Advantage plan options, see our AARP Medicare Advantage, Aetna Medicare Advantage, Medicare Advantage Texas, and Medicare Supplement Florida guides.

Accepting new Medicare patients: the bottleneck

Accepting new medicare patients is sometimes the limiting factor. Even when a provider accepts Medicare, they may not accept new patients of any kind, or may be selective about Medicare patient acceptance. This is more common in:

• High-demand specialties (cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics)

• Major metropolitan areas with provider shortages

• Practices that have reached a Medicare patient quota

Strategies if you're hitting closed practices:

• Try multiple practices simultaneously rather than waiting for one to respond

• Be flexible on appointment timing (mornings and Fridays often have more openings)

• Get on cancellation lists, where Medicare patients sometimes get last-minute slots

• Consider FQHCs and academic medical centers, which generally accept Medicare patients more readily

• Ask your primary care physician's office for direct referrals, which sometimes bypass scheduling bottlenecks