Where Can I Be Seen Without Health Insurance?

If you do not have health insurance, a community health center is often a good place to seek primary care, preventive services, and help managing ongoing conditions. Many offer fees based on income, so ask about the sliding fee scale, required documents, and the cost of your visit when you call.

Check the product’s listed specifications when evaluating start with a community health center.

For a nonemergency illness or injury, you can contact a primary care office, retail clinic, or urgent care center and ask whether it accepts uninsured patients and what you would pay upfront. Urgent care may be a practical choice when you need prompt attention for a minor injury or illness, while a primary care office can be a better fit for routine visits and follow-up care.

Check the product’s listed specifications when evaluating choose care based on urgency.

If you have a medical emergency, such as severe trouble breathing or symptoms of a stroke, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department rather than delaying care because you are uninsured. Hospital emergency departments must provide an appropriate medical screening exam and stabilizing treatment for an emergency medical condition regardless of insurance status, but you may still receive a bill.

Before a nonemergency appointment, tell the office you are uninsured and ask for a self-pay estimate, available discounts, payment plans, and separate charges for tests or prescriptions. You can also contact your state Medicaid agency or visit the Health Insurance Marketplace to explore coverage options; eligibility depends on your circumstances.

If your baby needs routine care and is not yet insured, call a pediatrician or community health center to ask about appointments and self-pay costs, and seek emergency care promptly for an urgent medical concern. For help organizing enrollment, our baby health insurance enrollment checklist introduces our printable digital guide, Baby Health Insurance Made Simple, for new parents.