Compare 9 rheumatologists in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
9
Rheumatologists
100%
Accepting patients
56%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Fort Lauderdale sits in the shadow of Miami's medical establishment to the south, but it has quietly built its own identity. Broward Health's public system handles the volume, while Holy Cross's Cleveland Clinic affiliation has brought specialty depth that did not exist here a decade ago.
Fort Lauderdale has 9 rheumatologists. The most common credential is MD (56%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
Healthcare clusters along three east-west corridors: the downtown/Las Olas strip near Broward Health Medical Center, the Commercial Boulevard corridor near Holy Cross Health, and the Cypress Creek area in the north. I-95 and the Florida Turnpike connect neighborhoods to hospitals, but rush-hour traffic on US-1 and Broward Boulevard can double travel times.
Providers practice throughout Fort Lauderdale. Las Olas is fort Lauderdale's signature boulevard, with specialty and concierge practices clustered between downtown and the beach. Victoria Park is a central residential neighborhood near Broward Health Medical Center with established family practices. Wilton Manors is known as a welcoming LGBTQ+ community with affirming primary care and mental health providers. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is a small beach town north of Fort Lauderdale with walk-in clinics and proximity to Holy Cross Health.
Nearby hospitals include Broward Health Medical Center, Holy Cross Health (a Cleveland Clinic hospital), and Fort Lauderdale Hospital (behavioral health). Local training programs run through Nova Southeastern University and Florida Atlantic University (nearby Boca Raton campus). Broward Health is one of the ten largest public health systems in the United States, operating multiple hospitals and dozens of outpatient centers across Broward County.
The first visit takes 45 to 60 minutes. The rheumatologist will perform a detailed joint exam (checking for swelling, warmth, and tenderness in every joint), review your blood work, and take a thorough history of your symptoms including when they started, what triggers them, and how they have progressed. They may order additional labs, X-rays, or ultrasound. Treatment plans often involve medication adjustments over several visits to find the right combination.
Many Fort Lauderdale providers speak Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole in addition to English. If you are a seasonal resident, ask practices about their policies for patients who are only in the area part of the year.
See a rheumatologist for persistent joint pain or swelling in multiple joints, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, unexplained rashes combined with joint pain, positive autoimmune blood tests (ANA, rheumatoid factor), gout attacks, chronic widespread pain or fatigue your PCP suspects is fibromyalgia, or any condition where your immune system appears to be causing inflammation.
Office visit copay: $30-75 · Rheumatoid factor/ANA panel: $100-300 · Biologic infusion: $1,000-5,000 per treatment · Joint ultrasound: $200-500
Broward County's coastal location means sun exposure is a daily reality, not a seasonal one. Dermatology practices here stay booked, and annual skin checks are the local standard of care.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that attacks the joints. Rheumatologists prescribe disease-modifying drugs early to prevent joint damage and manage the condition long-term.
Lupus can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs. Rheumatologists manage flares, monitor organ involvement, and adjust treatment to keep the disease under control.
Wear-and-tear arthritis causes joint pain and stiffness that worsens over time. Rheumatologists help distinguish it from inflammatory arthritis and develop management plans that keep you active.
Sudden, intense joint pain (often in the big toe) may be gout. Rheumatologists confirm the diagnosis, treat acute flares, and prescribe long-term uric acid-lowering therapy to prevent future attacks.
Widespread pain, fatigue, and brain fog that cannot be explained by other conditions may be fibromyalgia. Rheumatologists diagnose it, rule out other causes, and create a multifaceted treatment plan.
Fort Lauderdale, FL has 9 licensed rheumatologists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of rheumatologists in Fort Lauderdale, FL are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Broward County has strong ACA marketplace competition with Florida Blue, Ambetter, Molina, and Oscar all active. PPO plans give more flexibility across the Broward Health and Holy Cross systems. HMO plans may restrict you to one network.
An office visit copay is $30 to $75. A rheumatoid factor/ANA panel costs $100 to $300. Biologic infusions cost $1,000 to $5,000 per treatment. Joint ultrasound runs $200 to $500. Actual costs in Fort Lauderdale, FL depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Biologic medications are the biggest cost driver in rheumatology. Biosimilars (generic-equivalent biologics) can significantly reduce costs. Manufacturer copay programs can bring patient costs down to $5 to $25 per month. Ask your rheumatologist about all financial assistance options.
Fort Lauderdale's healthcare market is split between the Broward Health public system and private providers affiliated with Cleveland Clinic (Holy Cross), Baptist Health, and Memorial Healthcare System to the south. Most residents in the city proper use Broward Health or Holy Cross, while those in western suburbs often connect to Memorial or Cleveland Clinic Weston.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In Fort Lauderdale, FL, 56% hold the MD credential and 11% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
67% of rheumatologists in Fort Lauderdale, FL accept Medicare. Medicare covers rheumatology visits and medically necessary treatments, including biologic infusions administered in the office (Part B). Oral biologic medications are covered under Part D. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Holy Cross Health became part of Cleveland Clinic in 2021. The biggest changes are expanded cardiology, neurology, and surgical programs, plus access to Cleveland Clinic's physician network for complex referrals. Day-to-day operations and locations have remained largely the same.
Yes. Many practices in Fort Lauderdale are accustomed to snowbird patients who visit October through April. Urgent care centers along US-1 and Federal Highway accept most out-of-state insurance. For ongoing care, ask your provider about telehealth follow-ups when you return home.
Top accepted carriers in Fort Lauderdale, FL include medicare, unitedhealthcare, qhp-17091, qhp-19898, and qhp-16842.
Rheumatology visits are covered as specialist visits. Biologic medications (Humira, Enbrel, Rinvoq, etc.) are expensive, often $2,000 to $6,000 per month before insurance. Most are covered under specialty pharmacy benefits with prior authorization. Manufacturer copay assistance programs can dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs. Your rheumatologist's office typically handles authorization paperwork.