Top 10 Most Expensive Medical Specialties
Which medical specialties receive the most Medicare dollars?
Not all medical specialties are created equal when it comes to cost. Here are the top 10 by total Medicare payments:
| # | Specialty | Total Payments | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ophthalmology | $7.6B | 17,459 |
| 2 | Internal Medicine | $7.6B | 92,204 |
| 3 | Nurse Practitioner | $7.5B | 189,509 |
| 4 | Clinical Laboratory | $7.4B | 3,155 |
| 5 | Hematology-Oncology | $6.4B | 8,909 |
| 6 | Ambulatory Surgical Center | $5.3B | 5,597 |
| 7 | Family Practice | $4.9B | 83,136 |
| 8 | Ambulance Service Provider | $4.4B | 9,337 |
| 9 | Diagnostic Radiology | $4.1B | 32,277 |
| 10 | Cardiology | $3.7B | 19,657 |
Key Insights
Ophthalmology leads the pack — driven by the massive volume of cataract surgeries and eye injections for macular degeneration. Clinical laboratories rank high due to sheer volume, while hematology-oncology reflects the enormous cost of cancer treatment.