INTRODUCTION

Finding a doctor when you do not have health insurance can be a challenging endeavor, especially if you have recently moved and are new in the area. Many physicians have joined health care networks and will only take care of the patients within that particular network. Other physicians will accept a variety of insurance plans but refuse to treat people without insurance.

Here is a method which will help you to find a doctor for when you are sick or injured, and a dentist for the inevitable toothache. Do not wait until you need a doctor because many new patients must wait from several weeks to two months for the initial appointment. Read through these tips and become established as soon as possible. This will enable you to get a same day or next day appointment as an already established patient when you have an illness or become injured.

FINDING A DOCTOR AT A MEDICAL SCHOOL

If you have a routine illness or injury, then contact a nearby medical school. Some medical schools have outpatient clinics to enable their student doctors to gain experience. The student doctors work under the supervision of a physician.

The advantage of being treated at a medical school clinic is that the student doctors have just learned the newest medical research and treatments. Also, if you like the student doctor and his treatment of your condition, then you can probably remain his patient when he goes into private practice.

The disadvantage of being treated by a student doctor is that they do not yet have the experience to accompany the knowledge. However, they do work under supervision.

This type of clinic generally charges on a sliding scale according to income. And, since the clinic routinely cares for lower-income residents, the office personnel should be able to suggest medical laboratories that offer reduced rates for lab work. The medical school clinic might even offer lab work right on the premises.

FINDING A DOCTOR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Look in the yellow pages for physicians who are located within a reasonable distance from your home. If you do not drive or have access to a car, then limit your search to those doctors whose offices are on a bus route.

Call each doctor's office and ask to speak to the office manager. Try not to call first thing in the morning as they might be dealing with emergencies at that time. Explain to the office manager that you would like to be treated by the doctor (use his or her name). Then, ask if you could become a patient even though you do not have health insurance. Get all of the necessary information such as initial visit fees and what you should bring with you. Thank her and tell her that you will schedule the appointment as soon as you have the fee.

Follow the above procedure for all of the doctors on your list. Cross off the ones who will not accept patients without health insurance. Now it is time to work with your pared-down list.

Go online and research the education and experience of the doctors who will accept you without health insurance. After you have finished the research, evaluate the education, years of experience, location of the practice, whether the doctor has evening or Saturday office hours, and the cost of the office visit.

Make your selection and then make the appointment. Do not be surprised if you have to wait at least a month before the initial visit. This is why it is prudent to become established before you actually get sick. Also, when you do need his services, the doctor will already know you and your health conditions as well as have some lab results to guide him toward a diagnosis. If the doctor should prescribe medicine, then ask if there is a generic equivalent.

If you are on a tight budget and cannot afford the standard fees charged by medical laboratories, then look in the yellow pages for schools which teach students how to draw blood and other laboratory-related skills. Contact these schools to see if they offer low-cost laboratory work. They just might have something since their students need patients for practice.

FINDING A DENTIST

Many insurance plans do not offer decent dental coverage, so many dentists are accustomed to working with patients who do not have insurance. You will probably be able to go to your first choice for dental care. You will need to pay cash in full for routine visits. However, for extended care or an expensive procedure, many dentists will work out a payment plan and schedule treatment around that plan.

CONCLUSION

Although this method will have the extra cost of the initial doctor visit when you are healthy, it is the best way to become established. Also, it will be easier to pay for the doctor bill and related lab work when you are working full-time rather than when you are in bed sick, and possibly not having paid sick leave.

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