You may have been convinced by your children or your friends to get health insurance, but you didn’t because what’s the worst that could happen? You’re healthy now, your family is doing well, you’re financially stable- everything’s well under control.

Flash forward 10 years, the worst is here.

You’re now either sick with some illness or your routine checkup is due.

Both ways, you can’t afford to pay medical bills because health is TOO expensive in this country. What do you do?

You ideally walk in a community clinic or a government hospital to be told that you should have insurance because otherwise the treatment is going to be very expensive.

How Much Does it Cost?

So, let’s talk numbers now.

How much is a doctor’s visit without insurance?

Ideally, a routine checkup will cost you around $100-$250. This is of course not fixed, any additional prescriptions or treatment will increase your bill.

Depending on where you live and what healthcare costs in your state, the rate could also be $300-$600 in 2020.

What happens if you go to the ER without insurance?

If you went through the hospital emergency room, the basic checkup bill could even reach up t0 $400-$600.

These are just average rates for a basic routine checkup, if more treatment is necessary the bill can actually soar up really high.

Urgent Care Cost without Insurance

Urgent care centres do take patients who aren’t insured, and these are relatively cheaper than going to a hospital emergency room.

The average cost of an urgent care is somewhere around $100-$150, but that is just for the services. If they prescribe more tests or medicines, of course the medical bill could go a lot higher.

Can I go to urgent care without insurance?

Of course. And you can simply walk in, no need for an appointment either!

Urgent care is a little more expensive than if you choose walk-in clinics, but you’ll get better treatment and services at urgent care because of more resources and experienced doctors available. They are more equipped to treat serious injuries and illnesses.

One great advantage of urgent care other than being cheap is that most urgent care centers offer their patients a payment plan if they can’t pay the money upfront. This type of facility is given to uninsured patients that come to urgent care, but however you choose to pay, urgent care is still a cost effective option for you.

How to see a Doctor without Insurance or Money?

Not being insured is one thing. You can still pay high bills if you’re rich.

Not having money is another thing.

The latter situation is applicable to so many people!

Imagine you or your wife get really sick in the middle of the night, you rush to the hospital and find out it was a stroke. Before treatment, the hospital asks for money, which by the way, you DON’T have. What do you do?

You arrange for money and if you can’t, you’re actually in a fix now.

Luckily, there are ways that you can see a doctor without insurance or money!

Here are some ways that can get you a lower price on medical bills:

1. Mention that you are uninsured: This is very important to do, just when the doctor or hospital staff starts talking about numbers, you tell them you aren’t insured. They can then tell you if there are some discounts that you may be eligible for or if there are some payment plans that you can avail. Press them into letting you know if there are ways that the bills can be cut down on you.
2. Save on medicines: Usually doctors have lots of free samples to give to their patients, especially the ones that can’t afford. Ideally, they will have some to give to you too. All you have to do is ask! This can save you a lot of money that you would otherwise be spending on very expensive medicines.
3. Medicaid: So even if you don’t have insurance, you could still be eligible for certain aid programs like medicaid. These depend on your income, household size and other factors. If you’re eligible, you should definitely approach this option to soften the blow of tough financial pressure.
4. Installments: Seems like an impossible shot, but wouldn’t hurt to try. There are many healthcare providers that can give you an installment plan to pay in parts for the treatment. If you convince them that you’re not able to pay the full amount upfront, but you will be able to pay it all in the next couple of months, they might consider your request.
5. Shopping around: This is your last resort. Of course, this option won’t do you much good if you or your wife are still in the hospital waiting to get treated. You can shop around for options for future visits; every area has a different fee structure for their hospitals and clinics. See which one fits your budget AND gives you the treatment that you need. Talk to people, see what options they’re doing to cut down on their bills.

Think About It

Having health insurance is absolutely necessary especially in today’s world where hospitals literally charge you an arm and leg for bills.

But if you’re too adamant on not having yourself insured, you can have a contingency plan in place for the future.

Set up a savings account for your medical bills. Or your spouse’s. Every month deposit a small percentage of your income there and let the account grow. On the off chance that some medical emergency were to knock on your door, you would at least have money to pay off the expense.

Medical expenses are very expensive without insurance, and focusing on your health is very important. You can never control the situation of your health; it can go sideways any time. So keep a contingency plan in order and make sure you always have money to pay for medical bills.