Richard S. Bedlack Jr., MD, PhD, MS
Accepting New Patients
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Richard S. Bedlack Jr., MD, PhD, MS

Neurologist

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
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Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Neurology Morreene Road - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neurology
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neuromuscular Medicine

About Me

I grew up in a small town in central Connecticut and attended college at William and Mary in Virginia. I returned to Connecticut for an MD and a PhD in Neuroscience. Finally, I came to Duke where I completed my medicine internship, neurology residency, neuromuscular fellowship, and masters degree in clinical research science. I am currently an associate professor of medicine/neurology at Duke, director of the Duke ALS Clinic, and chief of neurology at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I have won awards for teaching and for patient care, including: best neurology teacher at Duke; Health Care Hero; Strength, Hope, and Caring Award; America’s Best Doctors; the American Academy of Neurology's Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Patient Advocate of the Year Award, and the ALS Association's Rasmussen Award for ALS Patient Advocate of the Year. I have received research grants, participated in clinical trials, and published more than 70 articles. I am also a past chair of the North American ALS Research Group, and leader of the international ALSUntangled program, which utilizes social networking to investigate alternative and off-label treatment options for patients with ALS. I live in Durham with Shelly, my wife, and two mischievous kittens.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

Call for an Appointment

Ratings and Reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.

Overall Provider Rating
4.98 out of 5
125 ratings, 18 reviews

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neurology
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neuromuscular Medicine
Fellowship
Neuromuscular Disease, Duke University Medical Center, 1999-2000
Residency
Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, 1996-1999
Education
MD, PhD, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 1995

Clinical Focus and Research

Publications and Grants

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
    • Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
    • Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
    • Aetna Managed Choice POS
    • Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
    • Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
    • Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
    • Aetna Open Choice PPO
    • Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
    • Aetna Select HMO
    • Aetna Traditional Choice
    • Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
    • Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
    • Aetna/CVS Health
    • Ambetter of North Carolina
    • Blue Advantage
    • Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
    • Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
    • Blue Select
    • NC State Employees Health Plan
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.

    • Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
    • Cigna Choice Plus
    • Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access Plus
    • *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.

    • Duke Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • Humana Choice (PPO)
    • Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
    • Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
    • Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
  • MedCost
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
    • AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
    • AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
    • All Savers Alternate Funding
    • All Savers Fully Insured
    • United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
    • United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
    • United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
    • United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
    • United Healthcare Option PPO
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
    • United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
    • United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
    • United Medical Resources (UMR)
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.

External Relationships

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
  • AB Science
  • ALS Association
  • American Institute of Biological Sciences
  • Amylyx
  • Annexon Biosciences, Inc.
  • Betty's Brigade
  • Biogen Idec Inc.
  • Carespace Health Inc.
  • Clene Nanomedicine
  • Eikonoklastes
  • Eisenhower Medical Center
  • General Dynamics Information Technology
  • Genieus
  • Guidepoint Global
  • IONIS Pharmaceuticals
  • Kaplan
  • MJH Life Sciences
  • Neurosense
  • Novartis pharmaceuticals
  • PTC Therapeutics
  • Prime Education
  • Roon
  • Springer Publishing Company
  • State of Maryland
  • The CM Group
  • Uniqure
  • WebMD/Medscape