Provider Search

More Information About Providers

The descriptions below can help you better understand which provider is best for you and your situation.

Doctors & Specialists

Doctors and specialists include doctors, clinicians, and groups who are qualified to practice in many specialties. Each specialty focuses on specific parts of the body, life stages, conditions, or primary care. Only those who currently accept Medicare are included.

Hospitals

Hospitals provide services like medical, surgical, and psychiatric care to people who are sick or injured. Services are ordered by a doctor. These types of hospitals can be found using the "Hospitals" filter under "Provider Types" on the search results page:

• Acute care: Give inpatient medical care and other related services for surgery, acute medical conditions, or injuries (usually for a short-term illness or condition).
• Children's: Inpatient care mostly for people under age 18.
• Critical access: Small facilities that give outpatient and limited inpatient services to people in rural areas.
• Psychiatric: Specialty facilities that mainly provide inpatient psychiatric services to diagnose and treat mental illness on a 24-hour basis, by or under the supervision of a physician.

Ancillary

Ancillary refers to additional medical services that support or supplement the primary care provided by a doctor or other health care professional. These services are often provided by specialized providers or facilities outside of the main health care setting such as physical therapy, home health care (e.g., nursing care, occupational therapy), hospice services, social work services, pharmacy services, and more.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME)

Durable medical equipment (DME) refers to medical devices and supplies such as prosthetics, wheelchairs, diabetes equipment, breast pumps, and more.