Compare 183 nephrologists in Los Angeles, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
183
Nephrologists
100%
Accepting patients
85%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
LA doesn't have one healthcare system. It has dozens, layered across a metro that stretches 60 miles in every direction. The result is extraordinary depth of specialty care, especially around Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, and Keck, but finding the right provider often means navigating competing hospital networks and long drive times.
Los Angeles has 183 nephrologists. The most common credential is MD (85%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
Most healthcare trips in LA are car trips. The Medical Center corridor along Beverly Boulevard and the Westwood cluster around UCLA are the two densest provider hubs. Patients on the Eastside rely on Keck and LA County+USC, while the Valley routes through Providence hospitals in Burbank and Mission Hills. Budget an extra 20 minutes for parking at any major campus.
Providers practice throughout Los Angeles. Beverly Hills is known for cosmetic and specialty practices, with easy access to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Santa Monica is providence Saint John's Health Center anchors healthcare in this beachside community. Hollywood is providers along Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset serve a large, diverse community with several urgent care options. Westwood is home to UCLA Medical Center, one of the top-ranked hospitals in the country.
Nearby hospitals include Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, and Keck Hospital of USC. Local training programs run through University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of Southern California (USC). Los Angeles County has over 30,000 licensed physicians, one of the highest concentrations in the country.
The first visit includes a thorough review of your kidney function labs (creatinine, GFR, urinalysis), blood pressure readings, medications, and medical history. The nephrologist will assess the cause and stage of kidney disease and develop a management plan focused on slowing progression. This often involves medication adjustments, dietary changes, and monitoring. If dialysis is likely in the future, they will discuss access planning and options well in advance.
Ask which hospital system your new doctor is affiliated with before your first visit. Referrals within UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai, or Keck stay inside those networks, and crossing between them can mean starting over with new patient paperwork.
See a nephrologist if your PCP identifies declining kidney function (elevated creatinine, low GFR), protein in your urine, difficult-to-control high blood pressure despite multiple medications, recurrent kidney stones, electrolyte abnormalities, or if you are approaching the need for dialysis. Your primary care doctor will typically refer you when kidney function drops below a certain threshold.
Office visit copay: $30-75 · Kidney function panel: $50-200 · Dialysis: $250-500 per session · Kidney transplant: $250,000-400,000+
Los Angeles, CA has 183 licensed nephrologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of nephrologists in Los Angeles, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Covered California enrollment is strong in LA County, with LA Care and Health Net as the dominant Medi-Cal managed care plans. Many private employers offer Blue Shield, Anthem, or Kaiser. If you're on Medi-Cal, check whether your provider accepts LA Care or Health Net specifically, as not all do.
An office visit copay is $30 to $75. A kidney function panel costs $50 to $200. Each dialysis session costs $250 to $500. A kidney transplant runs $250,000 to $400,000 or more. Actual costs in Los Angeles, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Dialysis costs are largely covered by Medicare. For CKD patients not yet on dialysis, newer medications like SGLT2 inhibitors can slow progression but may require prior authorization. Ask about manufacturer assistance programs for expensive kidney medications.
In LA, the biggest factor in finding the right provider is hospital network. UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai, and Keck/USC each operate extensive outpatient systems across the metro. Choosing a primary care doctor within your preferred network makes specialist referrals much smoother.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In Los Angeles, CA, 85% hold the MD credential and 5% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
73% of nephrologists in Los Angeles, CA accept Medicare. Medicare covers dialysis for all patients with end-stage kidney disease, regardless of age. Medicare also covers kidney transplant evaluation and surgery. Monthly lab work is covered for dialysis patients. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
It's not required, but it helps. LA's major systems (UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, Keck/USC, Providence) each have their own referral networks, patient portals, and imaging centers. Staying within one system reduces duplicate tests and simplifies specialist referrals.
LA County has providers who speak over 90 languages. Korean-speaking providers cluster in Koreatown, Armenian-speaking in Glendale, Spanish-speaking across much of East and South LA, and Mandarin/Cantonese-speaking in the San Gabriel Valley. Use FindClarity's language filters to narrow your search.
Top accepted carriers in Los Angeles, CA include medicare, unitedhealthcare, qhp-44228, qhp-58944, and kaiser.
Nephrology visits are covered as specialist visits. Medicare covers dialysis for all patients with end-stage kidney disease regardless of age. Dialysis and transplant are among the most expensive treatments in medicine. If you are approaching dialysis, your nephrologist's office can help navigate insurance and disability benefits. Medications for CKD, especially newer ones like SGLT2 inhibitors, may require prior authorization.