A doctor’s visit without insurance can be expensive. While it is true that not all medical professionals have the same fees, and not all medical visits generate the exact costs, whether you are or not insured makes a big difference in what you have to pay.
You should consider that the costs of medical visits and care will vary, based on very different aspects. On the other hand, the cost of insurance and the co-payment can also be quite different depending on the insurance company chosen.
For this reason, it is worth getting an estimate of what it will cost you to go to an insured or a non-insured health service.
The cost of a doctor’s visit if you are not insured in 2022
There is no universal cost when it comes to visiting the doctor. This means that several factors will determine the cost of your medical services. Among the most common are:
- Which consultation will you have? A medical specialist is not the same as a general practitioner. Neither is the first consultation the same as a period of treatment.
- What type of service is it? The costs of hospitalization or primary care, logically, are very different. In the same way, costs for recovery, rehabilitation, etc., can vary greatly depending on the medical issue.
- Type of medical tests: any medical examination to be carried out will have an additional cost.
- Treatment and monitoring: if after the visit, treatment, medication, etc., is recommended, these are further costs to be added.
Considering the above, the average cost of a doctor’s visit in the United States, when uninsured, can vary greatly. Even from state to state and within a state from one population to another.
An average uninsured doctor’s visit in 2022 can cost between $350 and $400.
This average takes into account all types of healthcare visits and consultations so that, for example, a medical appointment in a specialty may cost more, while a simple primary care visit may cost less.
On the other hand, it should be noted that averages do not usually include the cost of the initial visit. As we already know, this cost for a new client is usually applied when accepting a patient to establish a recent health history, and medical examinations and tests must be performed.
The costs of medical visits with insurance
The difference in insured medical expenses is remarkable. However, it is not easy to quantify.
In the case of private health insurance, it is important to consider the significant influence that different insurance plans can offer.
On the other hand, other factors such as co-payment agreements, excess, and co-insurance also play an essential role.
This can result in a relatively broad price range being applied. For example, once the excess has been reached, a co-payment for a primary medical visit can be about $25 and for a specialist about $45.
However, if the excess has not been reached, the cost can be higher and, depending on the plan, it can range from $150 to $400 or even more.
In addition, it should be noted that even if the excess has been reached, depending on the medical treatments or tests, the costs may increase as these medical tests or procedures may be charged to the insured.
Other insurance options and health care costs
In addition to private insurance, we differentiate between two other options that also have an impact on the price of medical care:
- Medicare: may cover the outpatient portion of care. No co-payments are used. A deductible must be met through which the payment rate or percentage is determined. Medicare modality B reduces the patient’s payment to around 20% of the total health care cost.
- Health insurance: The application of Medicaid varies by state. In some cases, even some medical services will not require a co-payment. The price can be between 20% and 30% depending on the location.
Can you save money on doctor’s visits if you don’t have insurance?
This is complicated but not impossible, although generally, the best option is to subscribe to one of the different insurance products we have reviewed.
The first and most important option is to make a careful comparison among the different prices offered by health professionals. Even in the same city, prices can vary significantly from one health provider to another.
Another important thing to look for when you do not have insurance is to identify those medical professionals who offer discounts to the non-insured. Not all doctors offer this, but many of them do. However, it is not often advertised, so you should check with them.
There are other options, but they can be more complicated, e.g., going to emergency centers where some costs may be cheaper.
In conclusion, medical consultations without insurance cost much more than those with insurance. Furthermore, they can differ significantly from one to another. This makes it recommendable to review your situation about whether or not it is worthwhile to get an insurance.