Being without medical insurance can leave you unsure of where to turn for care when you need it. To see a doctor without insurance, take advantage of walk-in clinics, online membership services, discount platforms, concierge medicine and more.
Most working-age Americans — about 60% — get their health insurance through their employer. But for those who don’t, there are some alternatives, including purchasing private insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.
Since the ACA became law in 2010, the number of Americans with health insurance has grown. Still, about 11.6% of working-age Americans didn’t have any health insurance in 2024, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What’s more, that number could rise: The possible expiration of government subsidies that help offset ACA Marketplace insurance premiums could leave many more people unable to afford coverage.
So what happens if you don’t have health insurance but who need health care? Read on for details about how to access care without insurance and what options may be available to you to get affordable care for yourself and your family.
[READ: Protect Your Health and Finances: Do You Need Health Insurance?]
Where Can You Find Primary Care Without Insurance?
Ultimately, the cost of any health care you use is your responsibility to pay, and it can become very expensive if you’re dealing with a severe or chronic condition. But you don’t need insurance to get care.
“An increasing number of doctors, urgent care centers, clinics and telemedicine providers deliver care on a cash or self-pay model,” says Dr. Parth Bhasvar, a board-certified family medicine physician and founder of TeleDirectMD, a primary care telehealth platform.
Self-pay, also called direct pay, means paying for health care services out of pocket without involving health insurance or another third-party payer.
You can see a regular primary care physician without insurance, but the cost can vary significantly depending on the location. “A traditional doctor who opts to see patients without insurance will charge ‘market rate’ for their services, which depends on the type of service and geographical area,” explains David Navazio, CEO of Gentell, a wound care company headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
“More commonly, individuals without insurance will be seen in a community-based clinic that offers a sliding scale based on income,” he continues, further emphasizing that costs that can vary widely from patient to patient.
But traditional primary care doctors are not the only option for health care. “Many retail clinics (such as those found within pharmacies) are staffed with trained nurses or (physician) assistants,” Navazio says. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other advanced practice providers offer routine care services often at lower cost than a physician charges, and these professionals often work under close supervision of a physician.
[READ: How to Pick a New Primary Care Doctor.]
If you have a medical need that’s not an emergency, such as developing a cold or the flu, an increasing number of options are opening up to address those needs, including:
— Walk-in clinics
— Online membership services
— Discount platforms
— Concierge medicine
— Federally and locally funded community health services
— Free vision and dental care clinics
Walk-in clinics
Walk-in clinics at pharmacies such as CVS MinuteClinic can treat a wide range of minor, acute ailments, including:
— Diagnosis and treatment for common infections, such as cold and flu, other respiratory infections, earaches and urinary tract infections
— First aid for minor cuts and sprains
— Physical exams, such as those needed for camp and school sports programs
— Health screenings, including blood pressure and diabetes checks
— Chronic condition management for diabetes, high blood pressure and other common conditions
— Wellness and prevention services, including smoking cessation, weight loss programs and travel health
— Sexual health services
— Skin care for acne, sunburn, poison ivy and other common dermatological conditions
You can self-pay at these clinics and prices are typically detailed upfront so you know what to expect. Some services, such as certain vaccinations, may be provided for free to certain patients.
[READ: Emergency Room, Urgent Care or Primary Care Physician: Which Should You Pick?]
Online membership services
If you’d rather not leave the house, there are several options for online membership services that provide primary care via telehealth. These services also sometimes offer in-person visits, and Amazon One Medical is one of the largest of these companies.
Amazon One Medical is a membership service that allows patients to pay a yearly fee (currently $99 for Prime members) to access in-person and telehealth care from a provider whenever you need it. You can also pay per visit, starting at $29 per visit depending on the visit type and what you’re being seen for.
Discount platforms
Also entering the online health care field are health care discount platforms that help consumers shop around for the best price, such as GoodRx. One of the more recognizable names in this space, GoodRx now also offers access to providers via telehealth to address various issues ranging from sexual health concerns and cold and flu to other common ailments that would typically be treated by a primary care doctor.
You don’t need insurance to be seen, and GoodRx offers a gold membership option that starts at $9.99, which gives you access to telehealth visits for $19. If you don’t have a membership, you can schedule one-off visits for between $39 and $70 without a membership.
Concierge medicine
Concierge medicine is a model of enhanced primary care that allows you to pay a flat annual fee for access to a doctor whenever you need it. Though it tends to be an expensive way of accessing care — membership fees typically run into the thousands annually — it might be an option for some individuals.
Federally and locally funded community health services
Federally Qualified Health Centers offer low-cost medical services on a sliding fee scale.
These nonprofits are “community-based organizations that provide comprehensive primary care and support services to underserved populations, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay,” explains Austin Kilgore, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based consumer finance expert and analyst with the Achieve Center for Consumer Insights, a think tank that publishes research and commentary to help individuals improve their personal financial futures.
There are about 1,400 such clinics at more than 16,200 service sites nationwide.
In addition, local health departments sometimes offer select services including immunizations, testing for sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV, and family planning and contraception. Check with your local health department for details about such pop-up clinics.
Free vision and dental care clinics
While vision and dental benefits are not typically included in conventional health insurance plans, you may be able to access this care at low or reduced cost by visiting a clinic offered by certain nonprofit organizations. Groups offering vision support include:
— New Eyes
— OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
— Lions Clubs International Foundation
For dental care, you can check with your state and local health departments, a local dental school or look for services from several organizations including:
— America’s Dentists Care Foundation
Comparing Primary Care Provider Options
The good news is you have options for accessing care, even if you don’t have health insurance. Here’s how they stack up.
| Provider Type | Services | Cost |
| Walk-in pharmacy clinic (e.g., CVS Minute Clinic) | In-person visits for a wide range of primary care needs | Varies depending on services provided but typically between $50 and $250 per visit |
| Online membership model (e.g., Amazon One Medical) | In-person or telehealth visits for a wide range of primary care needs | $99 per year for the first family member and $66 for each additional family member for membership plans; single visits starting at $29 depending on the type of visit and services |
| Telehealth platforms (e.g., GoodRx) | Telehealth visits and prescriptions for a wide variety of needs, including general health and wellness, sexual health needs and weight loss programs | $39 to $70 per visit without membership; online visits start at $19 per visit with a Gold membership that costs $9.99 per month for an individual |
| Community clinics | Comprehensive primary care and mental health services | Low-cost or free, sometimes on a sliding scale |
| Concierge medicine | Depends on the practice, but often includes enhanced primary care services | Varies depending on the practice but usually runs into the thousands annually for 24/7 access to a provider |
Emergency Care Without Insurance
Since the passage of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986, emergency departments cannot turn you away if you need care but don’t have insurance. However, emergency care tends to be the most expensive form of health care, and visiting an emergency room without insurance can be very costly.
Emergency departments are intended to serve people with serious medical emergencies, such as heart attacks, major injuries, serious infections, strokes and other acute or potentially life-threatening health issues. They aren’t designed to treat everyday ailments and scrapes.
But for some people who lack insurance, a visit to the ER has become the default way of getting any health care at all. Unfortunately, this practice leads to longer wait times for everyone and increases the risks of serious complications for some individuals if they’re forced to wait too long to get care.
It’s also worth noting that if you’re in need of emergency care, it’s best to call 911 for help. An ambulance will be dispatched to your location to ensure you receive treatment in a timely manner. (Calling an Uber to take you to the emergency room isn’t what that service was designed for.) However, be forewarned that ambulance services can be expensive — potentially costing several hundred to thousands of dollars — and you’ll be billed for that cost.
[See: 12 Medical Emergencies You Need to Address Right Away.]
Urgent care centers
If you have an urgent need that’s not a full-blown emergency, visiting an urgent care center can be a better option than going to the local emergency department.
“The emergency room is excellent for life-threatening emergencies, but an urgent care facility is sometimes most appropriate and able to treat many illnesses, burns, sprains and some fractures at a lower cost,” Kilgore says.
These centers are not free but will be far less than an ER visit, and you can usually get cash-pay prices from urgent care facilities ahead of time so you’ll know what to expect if you need to visit one.
Urgent care centers provide many of the same services you’d receive from a primary care provider or an emergency department, but the wait is usually somewhat shorter than in an ER. You can typically access a provider the same day, which isn’t always possible with conventional primary care providers. Urgent care centers also usually offer evening and weekend hours, which many primary care providers don’t offer.
Mental Health Care Without Insurance
Mental health care is often included in primary care services, but there are some specific resources that may be available to you for accessing mental health care even if you don’t have insurance:
— Community mental health centers. These community-based organizations provide mental and behavioral health services ranging from crisis care to rehabilitation and more. These centers are open to everyone, regardless of ability to pay or insurance status.
— Federally Qualified Health Centers. FQHCs are required to offer mental health and substance use disorder services or provide referrals to providers to offer such care.
— University clinics and interns. Therapists in training need to work with patients to complete their education, and as such, you may be able to access a low-cost therapist in such a setting.
— Patient assistance programs. Many drug manufacturers offer programs that include free or reduced-cost medication for people who meet eligibility requirements.
— Sliding-scale therapists. Some therapists offer rates on a sliding scale based on how much you can pay.
— Employee assistance program. Even if your job doesn’t offer health insurance, you may have access to certain benefits via an employee assistance program.
— Suicide and crisis lifeline. If you or a family member need urgent mental health care, call 988 for confidential crisis support anytime.
Long-Term Care Without Insurance
Private health insurance and Medicare only pay for medical services provided in a long-term care setting such as a nursing home or skilled nursing facility. This typically excludes room and board.
Paying for long-term care strictly out of pocket can be very expensive and typically requires the use of personal savings, equity from the sale of a home and other large sums of personal assets.
However, once you have spent down all your savings and assets, you may be able to qualify for Medicaid, which covers long-term care in the U.S. Medicaid is the largest payer for nursing home and home- and community-based services in the U.S., but not all nursing homes and long-term care facilities accept Medicaid patients.
Cost of Health Care Without Insurance
Ultimately, the cost of seeing a doctor without insurance varies widely depending on several factors including:
— What services you need
— Whether the visit is in-person or via telehealth
— Where in the country you’re located
In all cases, health care can get expensive quickly, especially if you have a major illness or chronic disease that needs ongoing treatment and management. Even so, there are some ways to lower your costs without insurance.
Tips for Affordable Medical Care Without Insurance
If you’re uninsured or underinsured, here are additional strategies for finding affordable medical care:
1. Shop around and ask for discounts upfront
While health care is fundamentally different from any other service you might purchase, if you’re paying out of pocket, it’s smart to shop around just like you would for any other big purchase.
When you’re shopping around, always ask for a cash discount. “Many providers offer substantial discounts when a patient pays by cash, rather than filing an insurance claim,” Kilgore explains. But you need to ask upfront about this, before you receive treatment and before you are billed.
“Discounts will vary by provider and procedure, but it’s not uncommon for the cash-pay price of a procedure to be less than half the price billed to insurance,” he adds.
2. Ask for a payment plan
Some practices also offer payment plans, which can help spread your financial burden out over time rather than having to pay it all at once. Asking for this arrangement can help you avoid putting medical expenses on credit cards, which is a big no-no, Kilgore says.
Once you pay a health care bill with your credit card, it shifts from being medical debt to credit card debt, meaning you owe the money to the credit card company, not the provider.
“If you are confident you will be able to pay off your credit card bill in full and on time, this might be fine,” Kilgore says. But if not, you’ll be subject to regular credit card interest rates and late fees. “On the other hand, if you owe your provider directly, you can often work with them to negotiate a payment plan or get other help.”
3. Keep good records
If you’re uninsured or underinsured, chances are you won’t have a primary care doctor who knows your health situation. Therefore, it’s important for you to keep good records for yourself and your family members about:
— Who you’ve seen for which symptoms or issues
— Which tests you’ve had previously and what the results were
— Which medications you’ve been prescribed and the doses
— Which pharmacies you’ve been using
4. Contact local charities
Your local community may also have charitable foundations, churches, community groups or government agencies that can help.
“Many can provide short- or long-term financial aid,” Kilgore says, noting that some states’ laws require hospitals to offer “charity care” (free or reduced-price services) to those who qualify.
You may need to use a number of these strategies to get the care you need at a price you can afford, Bhasvar says. “Many patients are successfully using a combination of low-cost centers, telemedicine and fee-for-service. The key is getting the right level of care for the issue, which can help avoid unnecessary expenses.”
More from U.S. News
Factors That Can Weaken Your Immune System
13 Signs and Symptoms of a Medical Emergency
11 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
No Insurance? How to See a Doctor Without Insurance originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/31/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
