Where do I go for medical help without health insurance if it's not a emergency?

Question

I have a cyst on my ear lobe which has becomed really swollen and infected. It is causing a great deal of pain. I'm currently in-between insurance. In my city the bill to see a Dr. without insurance4 is arround 150-200 dollars. I live on a shoestring budget and that's alot of money to me. I reside in Milwaukee and would appreciate sound advise on my options. I do have a child but the insurance is only under the mother. So that option is not available to me either. Free clinics in my area don't service this type of injury. I would wait 1-2 hrs to see a Dr and only be told they dont' treat that. Other than those I don't know where to go.

Answer 1

This may be a cheaper option:

Advanced Healthcare
Convenient Walk-In Hours!
We offer Walk-In Services seven days a week at five convenient locations. No appointment is necessary. Come to Walk-In with minor injuries and illnesses that may not require a trip to the emergency room.
Good Hope Road Clinic
3003 West Good Hope Road, Milwaukee
phone [phone]
Monday-Friday 8 am - 7 pm
Saturday & Sunday 9 am - 5 pm
For additional information, call the Advanced HealthLine at 262-512-2880 or toll-free outside the Metro Milwaukee area at 1-888-709-2080.

Otherwise call your city health department and they should be able to give you some ideas, here is the number: 414-286-3521

Answer 2

That is not an immediate crisis. Go onto liquids ( a Doctor would have you do that before they can look at your intestines) Purge out your bowels and stay on liquids for 3 or 4 days. If you are still seeing blood you are now ready to have a Colonoscopy. That is the really simple test of having a little camera run up through your bowels to see what is bleeding. If you have strained to have a BM you can pop a capillary and bleed a little. That is not a crisis. The worst part of the test is purging the bowels for the two days before. You are asleep for about 15 minutes for the test. Then you wake right up. It is super simple. I just had one last spring. I woke up and was totally unaware that anything was done. Then they can tell you if anything is wrong.

Answer 3

Any local Prime Care type of place... you can have an appointment or not. Find one that accepts people who don't have insurance (most do accept non-insured people, but you might want to check any way). Ask about payment plans, too.

Then again, if you go to the emergency room, you may be able to have some financial assistance. Not sure, though. I'd make some phone calls if I were you because you definitely need to go see a doctor.

Answer 4

If it's become infected, then it becomes an emergency. Visit your local ER. They will treat you, you'll get a bill (which will be ludicrously expensive) but you can work out a payment plan, or you may qualify for financial assistance, inquire at the bill dept. of the hospital. The other member's suggestion about your local social services office is a good one as well.

Answer 5

Do you have Eckerd pharmacies in your area? Some of them offer nurse practitioners who will see you. The fee is well under $100. If not, I would just suggest going to your doctor and making small payments on the bill. When you leave the office and they tell you how much the visit is, ask for them to bill you. You can even tell them that you forgot your wallet. That will get you out of the office. When the bill comes just pay the $10 or whatever you can afford each month.

Answer 6

Most ER rooms are required to treat patients regardless of ability to pay. If you need treatment, by all means go ahead. They will bill you of course, but maybe by the time you get the bill you will have some extra money, most accept payments of $20 or less. You can always call them and explain your situation and they do really work with you. Trust me, I work for a hospital.

Answer 7

Did you get this as a result of an on the job injury? If so you could go through workman's comp with your company. I would also suggest contacting your company's EAP for assistance. They may be able to get you medical care at no cost to you.

If you are not currently employed, I'd contact your local social services office and explain your situation. They also might be able to put you in touch with medical care at little or no cost to you.

My sympathies to you, please don't wait too long to get this looked at.

Answer 8

That inflammed cyst IS an emergency - seek out an Urgent Care Center [some have sliding scale fees] and if you cannot locate one, go to the emergency room of your nearest hospital.

Answer 9

You need to move to Massachusetts. Everyone has FREE health insurance provided by the State.

Read about it here;

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2agencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=MassHealth&sid=Eeohhs2

Answer 10

Call Froedtert. They might be able to see you there. If not I'm sure they can tell you where you can go for help.