Compare 54 pulmonologists in Sacramento, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
54
Pulmonologists
100%
Accepting patients
78%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Sacramento is California's capital and its quiet healthcare anchor for the Central Valley. UC Davis Medical Center gives the region academic-caliber care, while Sutter, Dignity Health, and Kaiser form a competitive triad that keeps the metro well-served. It's a city where you can see a specialist without the wait times or costs of the Bay Area.
Sacramento has 54 pulmonologists. The most common credential is MD (78%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
Sacramento's grid layout makes healthcare navigation simpler than in most California metros. The medical corridor along Stockton Boulevard near UC Davis Medical Center is the densest provider zone. Sutter Medical Center sits in Midtown, and Mercy General anchors the Arden-Arcade area off Highway 50. Suburban patients in Elk Grove, Roseville, and Folsom have satellite facilities from all three major systems.
Providers practice throughout Sacramento. Midtown is a walkable grid with Sutter Medical Center and numerous specialist offices along J and K Streets. East Sacramento is a tree-lined residential area with family practices and close proximity to UC Davis Medical Center. Land Park is a central neighborhood near Sutter and Mercy hospitals, popular with families. Natomas is a newer suburban area in north Sacramento with Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health outpatient centers.
Nearby hospitals include UC Davis Medical Center, Sutter Medical Center Sacramento, and Mercy General Hospital. Local training programs run through University of California, Davis (nearby) and California State University, Sacramento. Sacramento is home to the UC Davis Medical Center, a Level I trauma center and academic medical hub.
The first visit includes a review of your symptoms, smoking history, environmental exposures, and current medications. The pulmonologist will listen to your lungs and may order pulmonary function tests (PFTs), which measure how well your lungs move air and exchange oxygen. PFTs involve breathing into a mouthpiece in various patterns. You may also need imaging or a bronchoscopy depending on your symptoms.
If you're moving to Sacramento from the Bay Area, you'll find it easier to get a new-patient appointment here. Most primary care practices are accepting patients. The UC Davis system is the go-to for complex or rare conditions, while Sutter and Kaiser handle the bulk of routine care.
See a pulmonologist for a chronic cough lasting more than eight weeks, shortness of breath that worsens over time, COPD management, severe or hard-to-control asthma, recurrent pneumonia, abnormal chest imaging (nodules, masses, scarring), coughing up blood, occupational lung exposures (asbestos, silica), or sleep-disordered breathing that a sleep study has confirmed.
Office visit copay: $30-75 · Pulmonary function test: $150-500 · Chest CT: $300-3,000 · Bronchoscopy: $1,500-5,000
Central Valley air quality issues from agriculture and wildfires affect Sacramento regularly. Residents with asthma or COPD should monitor AQI during fire season (roughly July through October) and have an action plan with their provider.
Pulmonologists manage moderate to severe asthma, perform pulmonary function testing, and develop treatment plans that reduce flares and keep your airways open.
COPD is a progressive lung condition most commonly caused by smoking. Pulmonologists prescribe inhalers, pulmonary rehabilitation, and oxygen therapy to slow progression and improve quality of life.
Loud snoring, gasping during sleep, and daytime exhaustion may indicate obstructive sleep apnea. Pulmonologists order sleep studies and manage CPAP therapy or other treatments.
A cough that lasts more than eight weeks has a cause, whether it is acid reflux, postnasal drip, asthma, or something else. Pulmonologists work through the differential to find and treat it.
Pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases cause progressive scarring of the lungs. Pulmonologists manage these complex conditions with medication and monitoring to slow disease progression.
Sacramento, CA has 54 licensed pulmonologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of pulmonologists in Sacramento, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Sacramento employers commonly offer Kaiser, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, and Sutter Health Plus (a regional HMO). Medi-Cal managed care in Sacramento County runs through Anthem, Molina, and Health Net. Covered California has broad plan availability here, with competitive pricing compared to Bay Area markets.
An office visit copay is $30 to $75. Pulmonary function tests cost $150 to $500. A chest CT runs $300 to $3,000. A bronchoscopy costs $1,500 to $5,000. Actual costs in Sacramento, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Brand-name inhalers can be expensive ($200 to $500 per month). Generic alternatives exist for many common inhalers. Ask your pulmonologist about cost-effective options and manufacturer savings programs.
Sacramento has four major healthcare systems: UC Davis Health (academic, Level I trauma), Sutter Health (largest by market share, multiple campuses), Dignity Health/CommonSpirit (Mercy General and Mercy hospitals), and Kaiser Permanente (closed network with facilities in several Sacramento neighborhoods). Choosing one system for primary care and specialists keeps your records in one place.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In Sacramento, CA, 78% hold the MD credential and 9% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
87% of pulmonologists in Sacramento, CA accept Medicare. Medicare covers pulmonology visits, PFTs, and pulmonary rehabilitation (up to 36 sessions). Supplemental oxygen and nebulizers are covered under durable medical equipment. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Generally, yes. Provider fees, copays for non-Kaiser plans, and out-of-pocket costs tend to be 15-25% lower in Sacramento than in San Francisco or San Jose. Housing costs for healthcare workers are also lower, which supports a more stable provider workforce.
UC Davis Medical Center is the region's only Level I trauma center and the destination for the most serious injuries and complex emergencies. For standard ER visits, Sutter Medical Center in Midtown, Mercy General in Arden-Arcade, and Kaiser South Sacramento all have emergency departments.
Top accepted carriers in Sacramento, CA include medicare, unitedhealthcare, qhp-63474, qhp-74917, and qhp-73836.
Pulmonology visits are covered as specialist visits. PFTs and imaging require prior authorization in many plans. Inhalers can be expensive, with brand-name combination inhalers costing $200 to $500 per month without insurance. Ask about generic alternatives and manufacturer copay programs. Pulmonary rehabilitation is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans with a physician order.