Skipping the doctor because you do not have insurance is one of the most expensive decisions a person can make. A blood pressure reading that would have taken five minutes turns into a hospital stay. A cough you ignored for eight months turns into something that needs a specialist. Most people know this. They put off care anyway, because they do not know what a visit will cost and they do not want to find out the hard way.
You have more options in Florida than you probably realize, and several of them cost far less than a single urgent care bill. Here is a plain-language guide to all of them, including the ones that are not us.
First, why so many Floridians are in this position
Florida has not adopted Medicaid expansion, which means the state’s Medicaid program covers children, pregnant people, some very low income parents, and people who qualify on the basis of a disability, but generally not adults without dependent children, no matter how little they earn. KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization, tracks which states have and have not expanded Medicaid.
That leaves a large group of working adults who earn too much for Florida Medicaid and not enough to comfortably buy a plan. KFF estimates that roughly 1.2 million adults across the states that have not expanded Medicaid fall into this gap. Many of them work full time, often in jobs that do not offer coverage.
If that is you, none of what follows is a workaround or a favor. It is the system working the way it was designed for people in exactly your situation.
Your options at a glance
Option 1
Community health centers with a sliding fee scale
Federally funded community health centers, sometimes called FQHCs, are required to see patients regardless of insurance status and to discount their charges based on income. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, health centers provide primary medical and dental care to people of all ages, insured or not, on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay.
The discount structure is set by federal rule, not by each clinic’s discretion. The Bureau of Primary Health Care sliding fee guidance requires a full discount for individuals and families with annual incomes at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and partial discounts for incomes above 100 percent and at or below 200 percent.
How to find one: search the HRSA Find a Health Center tool by ZIP code. Call ahead and ask what documents you need to apply for the sliding fee discount, because you usually need proof of income before your first visit for the discount to apply.
Option 2
Free and charitable clinics
Florida has a statewide network of volunteer-driven clinics that serve uninsured residents at no cost or very low cost. The Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, a nonprofit, maintains a member directory covering more than 100 clinics across the state.
These clinics vary widely. Some are open two evenings a week and staffed entirely by volunteers. Some have full-time providers, on-site labs, and pharmacy assistance. Most have income eligibility rules and some have waiting lists, so it is worth calling two or three rather than counting on the first one.
Option 3
Your county health department
Every Florida county has a health department, and services differ a lot from county to county. Some offer immunizations, family planning, tuberculosis care, WIC, and sexually transmitted infection services rather than general adult primary care. The Florida Department of Health county location finder lists what each site provides.
Worth checking even if the county health department does not do routine physicals, because vaccines and specific screenings are often free there.
Option 4
Clinics like DUG that do not require insurance
DUG Health was built around this exact problem. We provide primary and preventive care across Florida with no insurance requirement, walk-ins welcome for many services, and telehealth follow-ups statewide. Pricing is posted so you can see what a visit costs before you walk in.
We are not the only option, and this article deliberately lists the others first. What we can tell you is that if the barrier has been paperwork, judgment, or not knowing the price in advance, that is the part we have tried hardest to remove.
Option 5
Hospital financial assistance, if you already have a bill
If you have already been seen at a hospital and are staring at a bill you cannot pay, do not ignore it. Nonprofit hospitals are required by federal tax law to have a written financial assistance policy. The IRS Section 501(r)(4) requirement covers emergency and other medically necessary care and must state who qualifies for free or discounted care.
Ask the hospital billing office directly for its financial assistance application. There are deadlines, so ask early.
Option 6
Check whether you qualify for Florida Medicaid
People are wrong about this more often than you would expect, especially parents and people with a disabling condition they have never formally documented. Applying is free. The Florida Department of Children and Families handles eligibility and publishes current income limits.
Option 7
A Marketplace plan, when enrollment opens
If your income is high enough to qualify for premium help, a Marketplace plan can end up costing less than people assume. Open Enrollment runs each fall. According to HealthCare.gov, the period runs from November 1 through January 15, with December 15 as the deadline for coverage that starts January 1.
One thing worth knowing regardless of which plan you pick: most health plans have to cover certain preventive services at no cost to you. That includes many of the screenings in our guide to preventive health screenings by age.
What about prescriptions?
This is the part people forget when they compare clinics. A cheap visit that ends in a medication you cannot afford has not solved anything. Three things help.
Ask for a generic
For most common conditions, generics work as well as brand-name drugs and cost a fraction. Say out loud that cost is a factor. Providers cannot read minds.
Ask about a 90-day supply
For medications you take long term, larger fills are often cheaper per month and mean fewer trips.
Ask about assistance programs
Many manufacturers run patient assistance programs, and clinic staff often know which ones apply and how to apply.
Community health centers frequently have discounted pharmacy arrangements. County health departments sometimes carry specific medications, particularly vaccines and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Ask before you assume you cannot afford the treatment.
What “affordable” should actually include
When you compare options, compare the whole visit, not the headline price. Ask about all five:
The visit itself
The provider’s time.
Lab work
Blood tests are often billed separately, sometimes by an outside lab that has no idea you are on a sliding scale.
Imaging
X-rays and ultrasounds are almost always separate.
Prescriptions
Ask whether the clinic can prescribe generics and whether it helps with patient assistance programs.
Follow-up
A cheap first visit is not a bargain if the recheck costs three times as much.
Questions to ask before you book anywhere
- What does a new patient visit cost if I pay myself?
- Do you have a sliding fee scale, and what documents do I bring to qualify?
- Are lab tests billed separately, and by whom?
- Do you see walk-ins, or do I need an appointment?
- Can I do follow-ups by telehealth?
- Do you have staff who speak my language?
What primary care at DUG looks like
A first primary care visit usually runs 30 to 45 minutes. We go through your history, current symptoms, medications, and family history, take vitals, and agree on a plan. Depending on your age and history, that plan may include lab work, vaccines, or a referral. If you are due for routine screening, our annual wellness exam checklist walks through what to expect.
We also handle ongoing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, and thyroid problems, plus confidential HIV and STD testing at the same visit if you want it. Your care is confidential.
If it has been five years since you last saw a provider, that is a completely normal starting point here. Nobody is going to lecture you about the gap. We start from where you are.
One more thing: do not wait for a crisis
The most common version of this story is someone who felt fine, put off care for years, and then ended up in an emergency room with a condition that had been building quietly. Emergency care is the most expensive care there is, and emergency departments are not set up to manage blood pressure or diabetes over time.
A primary care relationship is the cheapest insurance policy available to an uninsured person. It will not cover a catastrophe, but it makes a catastrophe considerably less likely.
Where to find us
DUG Health has seven Florida clinics, plus telehealth statewide:
Miami
6209 NW 18th Ave
Miami, FL 33147
Hialeah
2150 W 76th Street, Suite 100
Hialeah, FL 33016
Miami Springs
5245 NW 36th Street, STE 5257
Miami Springs, FL 33166
Dania Beach
323 S Federal Hwy, Suite 329
Dania Beach, FL 33004
Orlando
3300 W Colonial Dr, Suite 143
Orlando, FL 32808
Tallahassee
2650 Municipal Way
Tallahassee, FL 32304
Milton
6044 Doctors Park
Milton, FL 32570
Hours and services vary by site. Check the Find a Clinic page for the location nearest you, or call (877) 384-6337.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Community health centers, free and charitable clinics, county health departments, and clinics like DUG all see uninsured patients. Several use income-based discounts, so what you pay depends on what you earn.
It varies widely by clinic and by what happens during the visit. At a federally funded health center, a full discount applies at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. At DUG, current pricing is posted on our pricing page. Always ask whether labs are included.
Florida has not expanded Medicaid, so adults without dependent children usually do not qualify on income alone. Children, pregnant people, some low income parents, and people who qualify through a disability may be eligible. Applying through Florida DCF is free.
It is a discount based on your household income and size. Federally funded health centers must offer a full discount at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and partial discounts up to 200 percent. Bring proof of income to your first visit.
Not a catch, but there are limits. Many have income eligibility rules, restricted hours, or waiting lists, and not all offer labs or imaging on site. Call ahead and ask exactly which services are included.
Often, yes. Many DUG services accept walk-ins, though scheduling ahead reduces your wait. Book online or call (877) 384-6337.
See a provider without the insurance question
Primary and preventive care at seven Florida clinics and by telehealth. No insurance required. Walk-ins welcome for many services.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a licensed clinician for personal health concerns.
References
External links are limited to government health sources and open in a new tab.
- Get Health Care. Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Sliding Fee Discount Program, Compliance Manual Chapter 9. Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA.
- Find a Health Center. HRSA.
- County Health Department Location Finder. Florida Department of Health.
- Medicaid. Florida Department of Children and Families.
- When can you get health insurance? HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Financial Assistance Policy requirement, Section 501(r)(4). Internal Revenue Service.
- Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions. KFF.
- Member Directory. Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.