Compare 17 cardiothoracic surgeons in Raleigh, NC. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
17
Cardiothoracic Surgeons
100%
Accepting patients
82%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Raleigh benefits enormously from sitting at one corner of the Research Triangle. While Duke (in Durham) and UNC (in Chapel Hill) get more national attention, Raleigh itself has WakeMed, UNC REX, and a Duke Raleigh campus. Residents can access three separate university hospital systems within a 30-minute drive, a concentration of academic medicine that few metro areas can match.
Raleigh has 17 cardiothoracic surgeons. The most common credential is MD (82%). 100% are currently accepting new patients. Practitioners see patients in neighborhoods including Downtown Raleigh, North Hills, Five Points, and Cameron Village.
Raleigh's medical facilities are spread along the I-440 beltline and the US-70/I-40 corridor connecting to Durham and Chapel Hill. WakeMed's main campus is near downtown, while UNC REX sits near the western edge of the city. Duke Raleigh Hospital is off Wake Forest Road. The Triangle's highway network makes cross-city medical travel manageable, though there is no rail transit connecting the three cities yet.
Nearby hospitals include WakeMed Raleigh Campus, UNC REX Hospital, and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Local training programs run through North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (nearby). The Research Triangle region (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) has one of the highest concentrations of medical researchers per capita in the US.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has the broadest provider network in the Triangle. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna are common through tech-sector employers. NC Medicaid is managed through WellCare, AmeriHealth Caritas, and Healthy Blue, with strong coverage at WakeMed and UNC facilities. The state employee health plan (covering NC government and university workers) is a major covered population here. 53% accept Medicare.
The consultation includes a review of your cardiac or thoracic imaging, lab work, and previous testing (echocardiograms, cardiac catheterization, CT scans). The surgeon will explain the recommended procedure, expected outcomes, risks, and recovery timeline. For heart surgery, pre-operative testing may include dental clearance, blood typing, and a meeting with the anesthesia team. Recovery from open-heart surgery typically involves several days in the ICU and a total hospital stay of five to seven days.
You can see Duke, UNC, or WakeMed providers from Raleigh. For routine care, WakeMed and UNC REX are most convenient. For complex or academic cases, Duke and UNC Chapel Hill are worth the drive. Each system has its own patient portal.
See a cardiothoracic surgeon for coronary artery disease requiring bypass surgery, heart valve disease (aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation), aortic aneurysms involving the thoracic aorta, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, mediastinal tumors, and pleural conditions. Your cardiologist, pulmonologist, or oncologist will typically make the referral when surgery is being considered.
Consultation copay: $30-75 · Bypass surgery (CABG): $70,000-200,000 · Valve replacement: $50,000-170,000 · VATS lobectomy: $30,000-80,000
Raleigh, NC has 17 licensed cardiothoracic surgeons. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of cardiothoracic surgeons in Raleigh, NC are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is the dominant carrier. WakeMed, Duke, and UNC Health all participate in most BCBSNC plans, but network tiers can vary. NC Medicaid through WellCare and AmeriHealth Caritas is accepted at WakeMed and UNC REX.
A consultation copay is $50 to $100. Coronary artery bypass costs $70,000 to $200,000. Heart valve replacement costs $80,000 to $170,000. Lung lobectomy costs $30,000 to $80,000. Actual costs in Raleigh, NC depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Cardiothoracic surgery involves the highest costs in surgery. Hospital stays average five to ten days. Bills include the surgeon, assistant surgeon, anesthesia, perfusionist (heart-lung machine operator), ICU charges, and implants. Confirm all providers are in-network before the procedure.
Raleigh sits at the intersection of three hospital systems: WakeMed (local), UNC Health (Chapel Hill-based), and Duke Health (Durham-based). All three have facilities in or near Raleigh. Start with your insurance network to see which system is covered.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In Raleigh, NC, 82% hold the MD credential and 6% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
53% of cardiothoracic surgeons in Raleigh, NC accept Medicare. Medicare covers medically necessary cardiothoracic procedures including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve replacement, and lung cancer surgery. Cardiac rehabilitation after surgery is also covered. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
For routine care and emergencies, WakeMed and UNC REX in Raleigh are excellent and convenient. For specialized surgery, cancer treatment, or rare conditions, Duke University Hospital and UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill offer more subspecialty depth. The drive is typically 25 to 35 minutes.
Costs are comparable between the two cities. However, the Research Triangle's three competing hospital systems can give patients more options for in-network care, which may help with out-of-pocket costs if one system offers better rates through your insurer.
Top accepted carriers in Raleigh, NC include qhp-11512, medicare, cigna, centene, and unitedhealthcare.
Cardiothoracic surgery is covered under medical insurance for medically indicated conditions. These are complex, expensive procedures that always require prior authorization. Cardiac rehabilitation after surgery is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans (typically 36 sessions). Verify that all members of the surgical team and the hospital are in-network. Hospital stays for heart surgery commonly exceed $100,000 before insurance.