Four steps
- Search Care Compare. On Medicare.gov's Care Compare, search for doctors and clinicians by ZIP code or city and specialty. CMS says profiles show addresses, phone numbers, specialties, hospital affiliations and whether the clinician accepts Medicare-approved payment amounts.
- Call the office. Ask: "Are you taking new Medicare patients?" and "Do you accept Medicare assignment?" Care Compare can't tell you whether a practice is full this month.
- If you're in Medicare Advantage, name your plan. Ask whether the doctor is in that plan's network for 2027, and check the plan's provider directory. Networks change each year.
- If you're asked to sign a private contract, stop and check. That usually means the doctor has opted out of Medicare. Look the name up on CMS's opt-out list.
What's different in Florida
- Opt-out doctors: CMS's September 2026 list has 2,899 Florida records, the fifth-most of any state. Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans pay them nothing except for emergency or urgent care, and Medigap doesn't either.
- State law on assignment: under s. 456.056, a Florida physician may refuse Medicare patients, but must accept assignment for an emergency medical condition. If your primary physician accepts assignment, consulting physicians must too, unless you agree otherwise in writing first.
- Two or more homes: if you split the year between Florida and another state, Original Medicare works with any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. A Medicare Advantage plan usually covers only emergency and urgent care outside its service area. See snowbirds and Medicare.
Full details on assignment, the limiting charge and opt-out doctors are on finding doctors who accept Medicare in Florida. To check your doctors in plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
Why won't some Florida doctors take new Medicare patients?
What's behind a "no."
How do I find a Spanish-speaking doctor who takes Medicare?
Directories, languages and interpreters.
Can a Florida doctor charge a concierge fee?
What Medicare allows.
How does Medicare work in The Villages?
Three counties, three plan lists.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Care Compare
- CMS — Doctors and Clinicians profile pages on the Medicare.gov compare tool
- CMS — Opt Out Affidavits (September 2026 file)
- eCFR — 42 CFR 414.48, Limits on actual charges of nonparticipating suppliers
- eCFR — 42 CFR 405.425, Effects of opting out of Medicare
- Florida Statutes — s. 456.056, Treatment of Medicare beneficiaries
- Medicare.gov — Part B (preventive services and assignment)
More questions in this guide
- Can a Florida doctor charge an annual concierge fee if I have Medicare?
- Do I need Medicare Part B if I'm still working at 65 in Florida?
- Why won't some Florida doctors take new Medicare patients?
- How does Medicare work in The Villages, Florida?
- How do I find a Spanish-speaking doctor who takes Medicare in Florida?
Part of the guide: Medicare in The Villages and Florida's 55+ communities · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Care Compare available in Spanish?
Yes. CMS keeps a Spanish version of Care Compare at es.medicare.gov/care-compare. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE for help with a search.
What does it mean if a doctor accepts assignment?
The doctor agrees to take the Medicare-approved amount as full payment. You pay only your deductible and coinsurance, and you pay nothing for most preventive services.
Can a Florida doctor charge me more than Medicare's rate?
A doctor who accepts assignment can't. A non-participating doctor who doesn't take assignment can bill up to the limiting charge, 15% above the non-participating fee schedule amount, except that Florida law (s. 456.056) requires assignment for emergency care and, in some cases, for specialists your doctor brings in.
Medicare in your Florida county
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