Compare 97 internists in San Francisco, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
97
Internists
100%
Accepting patients
80%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
San Francisco punches well above its weight in healthcare. UCSF is a top-10 national hospital, and the city's 95%+ insurance coverage rate is among the highest anywhere. The tradeoff is cost: provider fees here reflect the city's overall cost of living, and even insured patients can face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
San Francisco has 97 internists. The most common credential is MD (80%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
SF is compact enough that most residents are within 20 minutes of a major hospital. UCSF's two main campuses (Parnassus and Mission Bay) anchor the western and eastern halves of the city. California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness serves the northern neighborhoods. Muni and BART make car-free healthcare access genuinely possible here, which is unusual for a US city.
Providers practice throughout San Francisco. Mission District is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with community health centers serving a large Latino population. Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood with concierge practices and proximity to CPMC and UCSF. SoMa is the South of Market area is close to Zuckerberg SF General, a Level I trauma center. Castro is a historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with strong affirming care options and community clinics.
Nearby hospitals include UCSF Medical Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and California Pacific Medical Center. Local training programs run through University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and University of San Francisco. UCSF Medical Center is among the top 10 hospitals in the nation, specializing in cancer and neurology.
The first appointment typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes. The internist will take a thorough medical history, review your medications and supplements, perform a physical exam, and order any needed lab work or screening tests. They are trained to dig into diagnostic puzzles, so they may ask detailed questions about symptoms you have mentioned to other doctors.
Many SF primary care practices are panel-closed, meaning they aren't accepting new patients. If you're new to the city, try UCSF's primary care network or One Medical (now part of Amazon), which has multiple SF locations and shorter wait times.
See an internist for annual physicals, chronic disease management (diabetes, heart disease, COPD), unexplained symptoms that do not have an obvious cause, medication management for multiple conditions, preventive screenings (colonoscopy referrals, cancer screenings), and any adult health concern. Internists do not treat children.
Wellness visit: $0 (preventive) · Office visit copay: $20-50 · Comprehensive metabolic panel: $100-300
San Francisco, CA has 97 licensed internists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of internists in San Francisco, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
SF has Healthy San Francisco, a city program that provides basic healthcare access for uninsured residents regardless of immigration status. For employer coverage, Kaiser, Blue Shield, and Anthem are the most common carriers. Medi-Cal managed care runs through SF Health Plan. Covered California participation is strong.
Annual wellness visits are covered at $0. Sick visit copays range from $20 to $50. A comprehensive metabolic panel costs $100 to $300. Actual costs in San Francisco, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Internal medicine visits are billed the same as other primary care visits. Complex visits involving multiple problems may be coded at a higher level, resulting in a higher copay.
In San Francisco, the main healthcare systems are UCSF Health (academic, highly specialized), Sutter/CPMC (broad community coverage across four campuses), Kaiser Permanente (closed network with its own facilities on Geary), and Zuckerberg SF General (the city's public safety-net hospital). Your insurance plan will often determine which system you use.
72% of internists in San Francisco, CA accept Medicare. Medicare covers an Annual Wellness Visit at no cost. Standard office visits are covered under Part B with a 20% coinsurance after the deductible. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Some internists in San Francisco, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers internal medicine visits in all states. Preventive services and chronic disease management are standard benefits. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Medi-Cal participation before scheduling.
Healthy San Francisco is a city-funded program that provides healthcare access to uninsured San Francisco residents, including undocumented immigrants. It covers primary care, prescriptions, and hospital visits through the SF Department of Public Health network. It's not insurance, but it fills a real gap for residents who don't qualify for other coverage.
Many SF primary care panels are full, especially in popular neighborhoods like the Marina, Pacific Heights, and Noe Valley. UCSF and Sutter/CPMC periodically open new patient slots. One Medical and Carbon Health offer membership-based primary care with same-day availability. Community health centers also accept new patients on a rolling basis.
Top accepted carriers in San Francisco, CA include medicare, unitedhealthcare, centene, qhp-38344, and qhp-58944.
Preventive visits are covered at 100% under the ACA with no copay. Standard office visits carry a copay of $20 to $50. Most insurance plans allow you to select an internist as your primary care physician. Check that your internist is in-network. Specialist referrals may require your PCP's involvement depending on your plan type (HMO vs. PPO).