Mayo Clinic second opinion: access, process, and price

Compare medical second-opinion services → Mayo Clinic

Publisher disclosure: Diagnostic Detectives Network. Its own service appears last in the alternatives section. This guide compares published service structure, access, and price; it does not assess care quality.

Provider facts last verified: 21 September 2026. Mayo Clinic's own published terms can change; confirm current details directly with Mayo Clinic or Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London before submitting records or payment.

Mayo Clinic does not publish one single “second opinion” product. In the United States, a second opinion is handled as an ordinary new-patient request at a Mayo Clinic campus (Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; or Jacksonville, Florida), generally in person. Separately, Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London publishes a page specifically titled “second opinion,” but its own site states this London entity is legally distinct from Mayo Clinic in the US. Both routes are described below, each sourced to Mayo Clinic's own current pages. MY-01–MY-03

Mayo Clinic's own London page states: “This service is provided by Mayo Clinic in London and is not related to Mayo Clinic in the US. We are therefore unable to provide second-opinion consultations for patients seeking a review from Mayo Clinic in the US.” Treat the US campuses and the London clinic as two separate access routes, not one product.

Can an individual use a Mayo Clinic second opinion?

Yes, in both locations reviewed. Mayo Clinic's US appointments FAQ says a referral is generally not required to request an appointment, though a patient's insurance plan might require one. Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London states that self-paying patients do not need a GP referral. Neither page describes the second-opinion route as limited to an employer or insurance-plan benefit. MY-04, MY-05

What does a Mayo Clinic second opinion cost?

Not published as a fixed number by either the US campuses or Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. The US site offers a private online Cost Estimator tool rather than a public price list; the London page says a cost estimate is provided before the appointment, again without a published figure. A specific international pre-service deposit amount that has previously circulated elsewhere could not be found on Mayo Clinic's current international-patient pages; those pages instead say a deposit and payment options are discussed case by case and that, in most cases, payment is not required before arrival. MY-01, MY-06, MY-07

How does the Mayo Clinic process work?

US: a patient submits an online request or calls/emails with identifying information and a short description of the medical problem; international requests receive a response within 2–3 business days; Mayo Clinic then reviews medical history, may order tests, issues a visit itinerary, and the appointment itself takes place in person at a US campus. London: a patient completes an appointment-request form or calls the London office; the visit takes place in person at 15 Portland Place. Neither page describes a remote-only, records-review-by-mail product. MY-01, MY-04, MY-05

Who reviews the case?

US: Mayo Clinic's FAQ says it “cannot guarantee you will meet with a specific clinician” — a care team is assigned, and complex cases can draw on Mayo Clinic's wider physician network. London: a patient may select a named consultant from a published list, or ask staff to help choose one, and the opinion is generally delivered by a single specialist. MY-04, MY-05

How long does a Mayo Clinic second opinion take?

No day or week figure is published for “second opinion” specifically at either location. Mayo Clinic's US FAQ says wait times depend on the medical need; its international pages describe an average full visit length of about 5 to 10 business days once the patient is on-site — that is the length of the visit, not a report turnaround. The London page says it is “often able to provide same-day appointments” for most specialties. MY-04, MY-06, MY-05

What is included — and what is not?

The London second-opinion page describes a review of existing records and history, diagnosis confirmation or refinement, and treatment recommendations for a patient who already has a diagnosis from elsewhere. It explicitly excludes ongoing treatment and surgery: London consultants instead refer the patient to affiliated private hospitals for admission. Neither the US nor the London page states whether a formal written report or a fixed number of follow-up questions is included — confirm this directly before booking. MY-05

Mayo Clinic at a glance

What alternatives can be considered?

The options below are not ranked. They cover other institutional and independent routes; each provider should confirm its current terms before a patient submits records or payment.

1. Cleveland Clinic Virtual Second Opinion. Cleveland Clinic publishes direct self-pay routes: $1,690 for a US written report, $1,990 for a report plus provider visit where available, and $4,500 for an international opinion, subject to location rules. Read the Cleveland Clinic guide. CC-01
2. Mass General Brigham Online Second Opinion. Mass General Brigham publishes a remote second-opinion route in which the patient's own treating physician takes part and specialists typically complete the review within 10 business days; a fixed price is not published. Read the Mass General Brigham guide.
3. PinnacleCare membership. PinnacleCare publishes annual individual or family memberships from $15,000 to $55,000, built around ongoing health advisory and navigation rather than one fixed-price report. Read the PinnacleCare guide. PC-01
4. Diagnostic Detectives Network. Diagnostic Detectives Network provides independent, private-pay medical second opinions through multi-expert panels of 3–10+ academic physicians, matched to each case from the worldwide medical literature — not from a fixed network. DDN works directly with private individuals and families worldwide — no employer plan, insurance, or membership required. Pricing starts from €6,000 per case; the exact quote depends on panel size and complexity. See what a multi-expert independent panel adds. Start Your Case.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Mayo Clinic second opinion available without traveling to a Mayo Clinic campus?

Not as a standard published product. The US process centers on an in-person visit to a Mayo Clinic campus; Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London is also an in-person clinic. Neither page reviewed here describes a remote, records-only second-opinion product comparable to a mail-in or video-only review.

Can Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London review a diagnosis made by Mayo Clinic in the US?

Mayo Clinic's own London page says no: it states the London service is a separate legal entity and that it cannot provide second-opinion consultations for patients seeking a review of a Mayo Clinic US diagnosis. Confirm current scope directly with Mayo Clinic Healthcare before assuming otherwise.

Does Mayo Clinic publish a specific international deposit amount?

Not on the pages reviewed for this guide as of 21 September 2026. Mayo Clinic's international-patient pages describe deposits and payment arrangements as discussed case by case, and state that in most cases payment is not required before arrival. A specific dollar figure that has circulated elsewhere could not be verified on Mayo Clinic's current site.

Will I be told which doctor reviews my case in advance?

In the US, Mayo Clinic's FAQ says it cannot guarantee a specific clinician will be assigned. In London, a patient can select a named consultant from a list or ask staff to help choose one. Ask directly which model applies to your request before proceeding.

Is a Mayo Clinic second opinion appropriate for an emergency?

No. Both routes described here involve scheduling and, in most cases, travel to an in-person appointment; neither is designed for urgent or emergency symptoms. Anyone with urgent symptoms should contact local emergency services. DDN is a research-grade informational service — it is not telemedicine, establishes no physician-patient relationship, and is not for emergencies.

About this guide and corrections

Publisher: Diagnostic Detectives Network. Its service is disclosed and listed last; every statement about the named provider is limited to the official pages reviewed.

If a fact is wrong or the provider has changed its terms, send the page title, disputed statement, and official source through the contact page. The correction will be checked against the provider's own publication and the visible verification date will be updated when warranted.

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Source register

• MY-01: Mayo Clinic — International Patient Appointment Process, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-02: Mayo Clinic — International Patient Center, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-03: Mayo Clinic Healthcare, London — Second Opinion, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-04: Mayo Clinic — Appointments FAQ, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-05: Mayo Clinic Healthcare, London — FAQs, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-06: Mayo Clinic — International Costs and Insurance, accessed 2026-09-21.
• MY-07: Mayo Clinic — Appointments, accessed 2026-09-21.
• CC-01: Cleveland Clinic — Virtual Second Opinions, last verified 2026-07-11.
• PC-01: PinnacleCare — About Us and FAQs, last verified 2026-07-11.
• DDN: Diagnostic Detectives Network service statements: Medical Second Opinion, How It Works, and Contact.