Physician Assistants in Austin, TX
Compare 926 physician assistants in Austin, TX. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
926
Physician Assistants
100%
Accepting patients
72%
Most common: PA-C
Top-Rated Physician Assistants in Austin, TX
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Specialty: physician-assistantState: TXCity: Austin
About physician assistants in Austin, TX
Austin's healthcare infrastructure is racing to catch up with a population that has more than doubled since 2000. Dell Medical School, which opened in 2016, is still young but has already shifted the city from a medical education desert into a growing academic hub. The challenge is that provider supply hasn't kept pace with demand, and new-patient wait times for specialists can be long.
Austin has 926 physician assistants. The most common credential is PA-C (72%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
Dell Seton Medical Center at UT anchors downtown as the region's Level I trauma center. St. David's has multiple campuses across the metro. Ascension Seton has historically been the largest system but is transitioning. The I-35 corridor is the main healthcare spine, with hospitals clustered along it from Round Rock through downtown to South Austin. Cedar Park and Round Rock have their own hospital campuses for the northern suburbs.
Providers practice throughout Austin. South Congress (SoCo) is a popular south Austin corridor with growing healthcare options and proximity to St. David's South Austin Medical Center. East Austin is a rapidly growing area with community health centers like CommUnityCare serving a diverse population. Downtown Austin is dell Seton Medical Center at UT anchors downtown healthcare as a Level I trauma center. Hyde Park is a central neighborhood near UT campus with family practices and Seton healthcare offices.
Nearby hospitals include Dell Seton Medical Center at UT, Ascension Seton Medical Center, and St. David's Medical Center. Local training programs run through University of Texas at Austin and Dell Medical School (UT Austin). Dell Medical School, opened in 2016, is the first new medical school at a Tier 1 research university in nearly 50 years.
What to expect at your first physician assistant visit in Austin, TX
A PA visit follows the same format as a physician visit: health history, physical exam, diagnosis, and treatment plan. PAs can order labs, imaging, and referrals. They prescribe medications in all 50 states. Appointments typically last 15 to 30 minutes. PAs consult with the supervising physician for complex or unusual cases. In surgical practices, the PA may see you for pre-op and post-op visits while the surgeon performs the procedure.
Tips for Austin, TX patients
Austin's rapid growth means primary care panels fill quickly. If you're moving to Austin, try to establish a PCP before you arrive or within your first few weeks. Dell Medical Associates, Baylor Scott & White, and CommUnityCare are all actively expanding primary care capacity.
When to see a physician assistant
You might see a PA in virtually any medical setting: primary care, urgent care, the emergency department, a surgical practice, or a specialty clinic. PAs handle routine visits, sick appointments, chronic disease management, pre-operative evaluations, minor procedures (suturing, joint injections, biopsies), and post-surgical follow-ups. In surgical specialties, PAs often perform the initial consultation and assist during surgery. If you are seen in an urgent care clinic or ER, there is a good chance your provider will be a PA.
Typical costs
Office visit copay: $20-50 · Urgent care visit: $30-75 copay · Procedure (biopsy, injection): covered at specialist rate · ER visit with PA: same as physician ER copay
Frequently asked questions about physician assistants in Austin, TX
Austin, TX has 926 licensed physician assistants. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of physician assistants in Austin, TX are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Austin employer plans skew toward Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna, driven by the tech and state government sectors. Sendero Health Plans is a Travis County-based nonprofit insurer on the marketplace. Central Health is the local healthcare district that funds programs for uninsured residents through CommUnityCare clinics.
An office visit copay is $20 to $50. An urgent care visit copay is $30 to $75. Procedures (biopsy, injection) are covered at the specialist rate. An ER visit with a PA has the same copay as a physician ER visit. Actual costs in Austin, TX depend on the provider and your insurance plan. PA visits cost the same as physician visits from a patient perspective. If your surgeon's PA handles your pre-op and post-op visits, the copay is the same as if the surgeon saw you.
Austin's hospital systems include Dell Seton Medical Center at UT (academic, Level I trauma), St. David's HealthCare/HCA (four Austin hospitals, the largest by bed count), Ascension Seton (historically dominant, now transitioning), and Baylor Scott & White (growing presence in Round Rock and Cedar Park). Dell Medical School is building out its clinical network, which is adding new provider options each year.
51% of physician assistants in Austin, TX accept Medicare. Medicare reimburses PA services at 85% of the physician fee schedule. Your copay is the same as for a physician visit. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Some physician assistants in Austin, TX accept Texas Medicaid, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers PA visits in all states. Copays and coverage levels are the same as for physician visits. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Texas Medicaid participation before scheduling.
Central Health is Travis County's healthcare district, funded by property taxes. It doesn't run hospitals directly but funds CommUnityCare community health centers and the Medical Access Program (MAP) for uninsured residents. MAP provides access to primary care, specialty care, prescriptions, and some hospital services for income-eligible Travis County residents.
Yes, significantly. Before 2016, Austin was the largest US city without a medical school. Dell Medical School has attracted new specialists, created residency programs, and built out clinical facilities through its partnership with Ascension Seton. The Dell Seton Medical Center at UT opened in 2017 as a teaching hospital and Level I trauma center.
Nearby Cities
Other specialties in Austin
Insurance & Physician Assistant coverage
Top accepted carriers in Austin, TX include unitedhealthcare, qhp-33602, medicare, qhp-17091, and qhp-37758.
All insurance plans cover PA visits at the same copay level as physician visits. Medicare reimburses PA services at 85% of the physician fee schedule, but your copay is based on the allowed amount and remains the same. PAs are listed in insurance provider directories. PA-performed procedures (suturing, biopsies, joint injections) are covered the same as when performed by a physician.
