Compare 102 pulmonologists in Washington, DC. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
102
Pulmonologists
100%
Accepting patients
83%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
DC's healthcare system reflects the city itself: politically connected, resource-rich, and deeply unequal. Three medical schools and a roster of nationally ranked hospitals coexist with some of the widest health disparity gaps in the country between Wards. The NIH Clinical Center in nearby Bethesda and Walter Reed add a federal layer that no other US city can match. If you know how to navigate the system, the depth of specialty care here is remarkable.
Washington has 102 pulmonologists. The most common credential is MD (83%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
GW University Hospital is in Foggy Bottom near the Metro. MedStar Georgetown is in Georgetown (limited transit access, plan for parking or rideshare). MedStar Washington Hospital Center, the city's largest hospital, is in the northeast along Irving Street. Children's National is nearby on Michigan Avenue. The Metro Red Line connects to the Bethesda medical corridor (NIH, Walter Reed, Suburban Hospital). Most specialist offices cluster in Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and along Connecticut Avenue NW.
Providers practice throughout Washington. Georgetown is medStar Georgetown University Hospital anchors healthcare in this historic neighborhood. Specialty practices line M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Dupont Circle is a central neighborhood with a high density of private practices, particularly in behavioral health and primary care. Whitman-Walker Health provides LGBTQ+ affirming care. Capitol Hill is near MedStar Washington Hospital Center and several congressional health offices. Providence Health serves the eastern neighborhoods. Adams Morgan is a diverse neighborhood with bilingual healthcare options and community health centers. Short commute to Dupont Circle medical offices.
Nearby hospitals include MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, George Washington University Hospital, and MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Local training programs run through Georgetown University School of Medicine and George Washington University School of Medicine. Washington, DC has one of the highest concentrations of physicians per capita in the United States, driven by its medical schools, research institutions, and federal agencies like the NIH and FDA.
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.
DC's healthcare system crosses three jurisdictions (DC, Maryland, Virginia), and your insurance network may not cover providers across state lines. If your doctor is in Bethesda or Arlington, verify your plan covers out-of-District providers. MedStar, GW, and Georgetown each use separate patient portals.
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
DC's warm, humid summers and cherry blossom season create a multi-phase allergy season from March through October. Tree pollen peaks in April, grass in June, and ragweed in September. Air quality advisories during summer heat waves can affect patients with asthma and COPD.
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.
Washington, DC has 102 licensed pulmonologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of pulmonologists in Washington, DC are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
DC Health Link is the District's ACA marketplace, with plans from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare. DC Medicaid covers a broader population than most states, with eligibility up to 210 percent of the federal poverty level for adults. If you live in DC but work in Maryland or Virginia (or vice versa), your employer plan may have different network rules than a DC-based marketplace plan.
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 Washington, DC 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.
DC healthcare is organized around MedStar Health (Georgetown and Washington Hospital Center), GW Health, and Children's National. Sibley Memorial Hospital in northwest DC is a Johns Hopkins affiliate. The NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda accepts patients through research protocols, not standard insurance. Because the metro area spans DC, Maryland, and Virginia, always check whether your provider is in-network for your specific plan and jurisdiction.
67% of pulmonologists in Washington, DC 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.
Patients with COPD or severe asthma typically visit every three to six months. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension may need more frequent monitoring. After a resolved pneumonia, one to two follow-up visits may be all that is needed. With 102 pulmonologists in Washington, DC, you can search on FindClarity to find a provider who fits your schedule.
Yes. Insurance networks often differ across the three jurisdictions. A DC-based plan may not cover a provider in Bethesda or Arlington at in-network rates, even if they are only a few miles away. MedStar and Kaiser operate across all three jurisdictions, which simplifies things. Always verify your provider's network status for your specific plan.
The NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda accepts patients who qualify for specific research studies, not through standard insurance referrals. If you have a condition that is being actively studied at NIH, your doctor can refer you for a screening. ClinicalTrials.gov lists active NIH studies. There is no cost to patients accepted into NIH studies.
GW Hospital (Foggy Bottom), MedStar Georgetown (Georgetown), and MedStar Washington Hospital Center (northeast DC) are the three main adult emergency departments in the District. Children's National handles pediatric emergencies. MedStar Washington Hospital Center is the region's only Level I adult trauma center.
Top accepted carriers in Washington, DC include medicare, unitedhealthcare, anthem, centene, and qhp-17091.
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.