can you make an appointment with a vascular surgeon or does your doctor have to do it ?

Most surgeons or specialists for that matter will not accept a patient without a doctoral referral, partially because a lot of patients if they went directly would find it would not be needed and it could have been treated by any regualar doctor, partially because insurance will only pay for some specialists if they got a patient with a referral.

You can check with the specialist to see if they will see patients without referral. Some might, depending on the specialty and health care system.

In some systems, particular specialists need a referral to see people. That and often insurance won't pay for specialty appointments without a referral from a GP.

It's usually better to start with your doctor and see if you actually need a specialist referral.

If the vascular surgeon will accept, you can make the appointment yourself, in the US. On the other hand, there's a fair likelihood your insurance requires that your primary care provider refer you if you want your insurance to help pay for the visit. It isn't an overall rule or law: it's what you agreed to in the policy that you apparently haven't read. It's always a good idea to read contracts before you sign them.

The way it works is that your own doctor knows what you have and then recommends someone in a specialty for you. Unless you are in a health care field, you would not ever likely know of someone who fit your disease.

Your own doctor does not actually make the new appointment, you know; you do that.

You can make the appointment yourself but your insurance company may pay only for referrals from a PCP. Check your insurance.

Your doc has to do it