Who Accepts CareCredit? (2024)

CareCredit is available for a variety of healthcare services for the cardholder, cardholder’s family and cardholder’s pets. Cardholders should check with their healthcare providers to see if they’re in the CareCredit network.

CareCredit’s website has a search tool allowing users to find an in-network provider by city or zip code. The types of healthcare services where CareCredit may be accepted include:

• Animal/pet care
• Chiropractic
• Cosmetic
• Dentistry
• Dermatology
• Fitness equipment
• Hearing
• Hospitals and surgical centers
• Labs and diagnostics
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Pharmacies
• Primary care and clinics
• Sleep medicine
• Spas and treatment centers
• Medical specialists
• Vision
• Weight loss surgery

CareCredit Partners

CareCredit has partnered with insurance plans, pharmacies and providers to offer discounts and other benefits for cardholders. Here’s how cardholders can take advantage of partner offers:

• Pets Best.Pets Best is a pet insurance company that reimburses clients for eligible veterinary bills for cats or dogs. CareCredit cardholders can pay for a pet expense using their cards, combined with a promotional no-interest offer to be followed by the card’s standard rate APR as calculated from the date of purchase, then file a claim with Pets Best for reimbursem*nt.
• Walgreens and Duane Reade. Cardholders can use their card at over 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations to purchase anything but lottery tickets, gift cards, alcohol and tobacco. Promotional financing doesn’t apply.
• Walmart. CareCredit cards are accepted at Walmart for pharmacy, over-the-counter medication, baby essentials, optical, health/beauty and care clinic purchases. There may be limitations depending on location (check the CareCredit website for more info). Promotional financing, which is followed by the card’s standard rate APR as calculated from the date of purchase, doesn’t apply to most purchases.
• Sam’s Club. Sam’s Club accepts CareCredit cards for purchases on pharmacy items, over-the-counter medication, baby essentials, optical, hearing, health/beauty and membership cards. Promotional financing doesn’t apply.
• BowFlex and Schwinn. CareCredit offers 18-month special financing for purchases of $200 or more on any BowFlex or Schwinn fitness equipment to be followed by the card’s standard rate APR as calculated from the date of purchase. Use the CareCredit card when checking out online or call CareCredit to make a purchase.
• Rite Aid.Rite Aid has over 2,500 locations in the U.S. CareCredit is accepted at all RiteAids for almost every purchase except for lottery tickets, gift/prepaid cards, alcohol, tobacco and money services like Western Union. Promotional financing doesn’t apply.
• VSP Vision Care. VSP Vision Care is a vision benefits company with a provider network in the U.S. CareCredit cardholders are eligible to enroll in what’s called the Vision Savings Pass, a no-extra-cost discount vision services program. Services include wellness exams, prescription glasses and LASIK surgery.
• MDsave. MDsave is an online network that allows you to compare prices for over 1,300 procedures. When using their CareCredit card to make a purchase on MDsave’s website or by phone with MDsave’s Patient Concierge Team, cardholders can receive promotional financing. The interest rate and promotional period varies depending on the cost of the purchase.
• GoodRx. GoodRx is an app and website that helps its users save money on prescriptions by comparing prices, gathering coupons and sharing savings tips. CareCredit cardholders get a 20% discount when enrolling in GoodRx’s Gold membership. The discount applies to both individual and family memberships, and membership includes discounted online care visits and free prescription delivery on eligible medications.
• Sleep Number. Sleep Number operates over 680 stores across the U.S. CareCredit cardholders can receive 18-month promotional financing on qualifying in-store purchases of $200 or more when they use their card. Customers cannot use their CareCredit card for purchases with Sleep Number’s website or app.

CareCredit is not a replacement for health insurance. It may be used for out-of-pocket expenses that health insurance doesn’t cover. Cardholders should always ask their providers before applying for or using a CareCredit card. Make sure a provider accepts CareCredit as a payment option and discuss which special financing options are available before applying. Consulting a financial expert for help answering questions may also be a good idea, since your healthcare provider likely isn’t also a financial expert.

Short-Term Financing

Cardholders can select from six, 12, 18 and 24-month deferred interest plans with no interest on purchases of $200 or more if paid in full during the promotional period. But if the balance is not paid in full by the end of the promotional period, interest at the regular interest rate will accrue for the full purchase starting from the original purchase date.

These terms can make deferred interest plans more dangerous than 0% intro APR offers. In a 2023 report, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned that patients need more guidance on the risks of medical financial companies. Of particular note, it highlighted that deferred interest promotions have become less common across all purchase categories except medical care.

Note that the minimum monthly payment listed on each monthly statement may not be enough to pay off the balance by the end of the period. In order to avoid interest, calculate your own minimum payment by dividing the total balance by the number of months in the selected promotional period. Pay that amount on time every month to avoid accruing the high interest rate.

Keep in mind any extra charges made during the special financing period may change the way payments are allocated to the total balance.

Long-Term Financing

CareCredit has 24, 36, 48 and 60-month long-term financing options that offer lower interest rates than the card’s standard purchase APR. Each option has different reduced promotional APRs plus fixed monthly payments that may or may not enable the cardholder to pay off the balance before the end of the promotional period (including interest).

Once again, these are deferred interest promotions. So if the balance isn’t paid in full by the end of the promotional period, the standard APR will be applied starting from the original purchase date.

CareCredit may be a lifeline for people facing large medical expenses when used carefully and responsibly. The issuer’s special financing options allow cardholders to pay off a healthcare expense with either zero interest or reduced interest rates.

However, it’s important to understand the risks associated with deferred interest plans. If any of your original balance remains unpaid at the end of your promotional term, the full amount of deferred interest will be added to your balance retroactively.

Over 260,000 providers accept CareCredit in the U.S., but do not assume that a healthcare provider is a financial expert and understands exactly the product they may be selling you. Call CareCredit or check out its website to get more details on any financing offers and make sure that you fully understand the fine print of an agreement before entering into one.