Secondary Care

What Does Secondary Care Mean?

Secondary care is healthcare that is provided by a health professional upon referral from a primary care provider.

Insuranceopedia Explains Secondary Care

Primary care physicians are viewed as the first line of defense for non-emergency health problems. If they cannot treat the patient themselves, however, they will refer them to a specialist. That specialist would be classified as a secondary care provider.

Treatment from secondary care providers is typically covered by health insurance, so long as their primary care physician provided the referral.