Compare 81 nephrologists in San Francisco, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
81
Nephrologists
100%
Accepting patients
83%
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 81 nephrologists. The most common credential is MD (83%). 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 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.
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 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+
San Francisco, CA has 81 licensed nephrologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of nephrologists 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.
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 San Francisco, 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 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 nephrologists in San Francisco, 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.
Some nephrologists in San Francisco, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers nephrology services and dialysis in all states. Coverage for newer CKD medications (SGLT2 inhibitors) varies by state formulary. 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-17091, and molina.
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.