Mayo Clinic accepts most major private health insurance, Original Medicare, TRICARE, and Medicaid from a limited set of states, but whether your specific plan is accepted depends on the Mayo Clinic campus you visit and whether that plan is in-network there. The insurance Mayo Clinic accepts in Rochester, Minnesota is not identical to what it accepts in Arizona or Florida, and a plan listed as contracted may still exclude certain products that insurer sells. Before you schedule anything, confirm your coverage with both your insurer and Mayo Clinic.
How to Confirm Your Plan Is Accepted
Mayo Clinic publishes separate contracted health plan lists for its Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota campuses on its billing and insurance page. Finding your insurer on the list is a good sign, not a guarantee: Mayo Clinic cautions that it may not participate in every product an insurer offers.1Mayo Clinic. Contracted Insurance Plans Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask whether Mayo Clinic is in-network for your specific plan at your intended location.
If your visit will involve procedures, imaging, or specialist consultations, call your insurer again to confirm pre-certification or prior authorization requirements before services begin. Skipping that step can lead to a denied claim or reduced benefits even when Mayo Clinic is in your network.2Mayo Clinic. Insurance Approvals: Pre-Certification and Prior Authorizations
Private Insurance
Mayo Clinic contracts with many of the country’s largest private insurers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. The type of plan you carry does more to determine access and cost than the insurer’s name.
PPO Plans
Preferred Provider Organization plans give you the most flexibility. They allow out-of-network care at higher cost-sharing and do not require referrals. Mayo Clinic is in-network for many PPO plans. You still owe your deductible, copayments, and coinsurance, but those will be calculated at in-network rates when Mayo Clinic is contracted. If Mayo Clinic is out-of-network under your PPO, you can still be seen; your insurer will simply reimburse less and your share will be higher.
HMO Plans
Health Maintenance Organization plans require a primary care physician who controls referrals. Mayo Clinic is out-of-network for most HMOs. Routine appointments and elective procedures typically will not be covered unless your PCP refers you and the plan grants prior authorization. If your HMO does not cover out-of-network care, you would owe the full cost.
EPO Plans
Exclusive Provider Organization plans work like PPOs in that they do not require referrals, but they generally do not cover out-of-network care except in emergencies. If Mayo Clinic is in your EPO’s network you can schedule directly. If it isn’t, you will likely pay the entire bill yourself, because EPOs offer no partial out-of-network reimbursement.
Centers of Excellence
Some insurers designate Mayo Clinic as a Center of Excellence for complex procedures such as organ transplants, cardiac surgery, and cancer treatment. Blue Cross Blue Shield uses its BlueDistinction Specialty Care program to flag high-quality facilities for certain procedures. When Mayo Clinic carries this designation under your plan, it may be treated as a top-tier in-network provider for that procedure even if Mayo Clinic isn’t in the plan’s general network. That can meaningfully reduce your cost-sharing for specialty care. Ask your insurer whether your plan includes a Center of Excellence or specialty tier provision.
Medicare
Mayo Clinic is a participating Medicare facility at all three main campuses (Arizona, Florida, and Rochester, Minnesota) and at all Mayo Clinic Health System locations. It accepts Original Medicare (Parts A, B, and D) and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans.3Mayo Clinic. Insurance Frequently Asked Questions Part A covers hospital services; Part B covers clinic visits, doctor fees, and outpatient services.4Mayo Clinic. Medicare
Medicare Advantage (Part C) is different. Mayo Clinic does not accept noncontracted Medicare Advantage plans.3Mayo Clinic. Insurance Frequently Asked Questions Because Advantage plans are run by private insurers with their own networks, many don’t include Mayo Clinic. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan and want care at Mayo Clinic, call your plan and ask whether it has a contract with Mayo Clinic at your intended campus. If it doesn’t, your options are to switch back to Original Medicare during an enrollment period or to pay out of pocket.
One detail that catches people off guard: Medicare generally does not cover routine or preventive services. Confirm with Medicare that the specific service is covered before a wellness or preventive visit.
Medicaid
Mayo Clinic’s Medicaid acceptance is narrow and campus-specific. The Rochester, Minnesota campus participates with state Medicaid programs from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Managed Care Medicaid plans from those states still require a referral from your primary care physician and approved authorization before Mayo Clinic can see you.5Mayo Clinic. Medical Assistance (Medicaid)
If your Medicaid coverage comes from a state that isn’t listed for the campus you want to visit, Mayo Clinic will not accept or bill your Medicaid plan. You would be classified as self-pay and required to provide a pre-service deposit covering estimated charges before treatment.5Mayo Clinic. Medical Assistance (Medicaid) Each campus publishes its own list of accepted Medicaid programs, so check the contracted plans page for the exact location. Patients enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid should verify how the two coordinate before scheduling, since Medicaid’s role as a secondary payer depends on your state and plan.
TRICARE, VA, and CHAMPVA
Mayo Clinic lists TRICARE as a contracted insurance plan across its campuses.6Mayo Clinic. Insurance Types Accepted at Mayo Clinic TRICARE Prime operates like an HMO, so you’ll need a referral from your primary care manager before non-emergency care at Mayo Clinic. TRICARE Select works more like a PPO and allows any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral, with lower cost-sharing when you use a network provider.
Veterans enrolled in VA health care may be eligible for treatment at Mayo Clinic through the VA Community Care Network. The process starts with a referral from your VA health care team. Once approved (which can take up to 14 days), you can schedule your appointment and will receive an authorization letter listing the authorization number, approved provider, and covered care.7Veterans Affairs. How to Get Community Care Referrals and Schedule Appointments Bring copies of any CT scans, MRIs, or other imaging the Mayo Clinic provider may need.
CHAMPVA, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, covers eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans. CHAMPVA is separate from TRICARE, and you cannot receive CHAMPVA benefits if you qualify for TRICARE.8Veterans Affairs. CHAMPVA Benefits Contact Mayo Clinic’s billing department to confirm acceptance at your campus.
When Mayo Clinic Is Out of Your Network
You can still receive care at Mayo Clinic if it isn’t in your plan’s network, but expect to pay significantly more. Out-of-network care typically carries higher deductibles, higher coinsurance, and a separate (larger) out-of-pocket maximum. Your insurer will reimburse based on what it considers a reasonable rate for the service in your area, often called the “usual, customary, and reasonable” rate.9HealthCare.gov. UCR (Usual, Customary, and Reasonable) – Glossary If that amount is less than what Mayo Clinic charges, you could be billed for the difference.
Federal law provides some protection. The No Surprises Act bans surprise billing for most emergency services, even at out-of-network facilities and without prior authorization, and limits your cost-sharing for emergency services to in-network rates. Your plan cannot deny coverage because you didn’t get approval before going to an emergency room. If a bill exceeds what your explanation of benefits says you owe, you can call the No Surprises Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 or file a complaint online.
For non-emergency out-of-network care, many plans require prior authorization before covering any portion. Without it, the claim can be denied in full. You may also have to submit itemized bills and documentation to your insurer yourself rather than having Mayo Clinic bill directly, which slows reimbursement.
If You’re Uninsured or Paying Out of Pocket
The No Surprises Act gives uninsured and self-pay patients the right to a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges before treatment. When you schedule at least three business days in advance, Mayo Clinic must provide this estimate. If you schedule 3 to 9 business days ahead, the estimate is due within one business day; for appointments 10 or more business days out, within three business days.10CMS. What Is a Good Faith Estimate?
The estimate matters because it is enforceable. If your final bill exceeds the Good Faith Estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute the charges through the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process. You have 120 days from receiving the bill to file through the federal IDR portal or by mail.11CMS. Understanding Good Faith Estimate and Dispute Resolution Process
Mayo Clinic also offers financial assistance based on household income and family size against the federal poverty guidelines. Households earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level receive a 100% adjustment, meaning the entire self-pay balance is written off. Households earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level receive a 50% adjustment.12Mayo Clinic. Financial Assistance Policy Document Using the 2025 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states, that places the 100% write-off ceiling at $31,300 for a single person, $42,300 for a household of two, $53,300 for three, and $64,300 for four; the 50% adjustment ceiling doubles each of those figures.13HHS. 2025 Poverty Guidelines
Applying requires a completed application plus supporting documents: your most recent tax return or W-2, recent pay stubs, bank statements for all accounts, and, if applicable, unemployment statements, Social Security or pension benefit records, and a Medicaid denial letter or Medicaid card.14Mayo Clinic. Quick Guide to Application Requirements Do not send originals; Mayo Clinic cannot return them.
If you don’t qualify for financial assistance but can’t pay in full, call Patient Account Services at 844-217-9591, Monday through Friday, to set up a payment plan.15Mayo Clinic. Payment Options Monthly amounts can be adjusted to the balance owed.