Every way to get free or low-cost health care, explained
A checkup that costs you nothing at a clinic down the street. A tooth pulled by a volunteer dentist. A brand-name medicine shipped free from the company that makes it. All of this exists in every state. The hard part is that it is scattered across thousands of clinics, charities, hospitals and government programs that rarely advertise.
This page is the map. It explains each type of free or very low cost health care in plain English, then points you to the detailed guides and local listings on this site for whatever you need - a doctor, a dentist, glasses, counseling, medicine or help with a hospital bill.
- NOTE: This page is for information only. It lists programs but does not give medical advice. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Income limits and program details change, so confirm them directly with each program before you go.
Free health care in America is not one program - it is a patchwork, and people who get help are usually the ones who try multiple programs instead of one. Start with the clinic listings and the coverage guide below, and consider the medical and health care partner resources for additional discount and patient assistance options. If you get stuck or want to ask about your specific situation, post on the free health care moderated community forum and get a response from the community.
See a doctor at a free or sliding-fee clinic
If you need medical care and have no insurance or no money, a community health center is usually the fastest way to get care. These clinics receive federal funding, which comes with a condition: they cannot turn a patient away for being unable to pay. You are charged on a sliding scale based on your income, and at the lowest incomes the visit can cost nothing or just a few dollars. Many centers put medical care, dental chairs, mental health counselors and a pharmacy under one roof.
There is a free medical clinic in almost every county, whether a government-funded health center or a charity clinic run by volunteer doctors and nurses. You can also search the federal government's official directory at https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov, run by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the agency that funds these centers. People in small towns and farm communities are covered too - the same system pays for rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers in areas with few doctors. See the NHPB guide to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHC).
Do not overlook your county or city health department. Most offer free or very cheap immunizations, screenings for blood pressure and diabetes, family planning, and testing. Some run free cancer screenings such as mammograms and cervical cancer checks for women who are uninsured.
Dental care when you have no insurance or money
Dental help follows the same pattern as medical care, just with fewer options - so it pays to know all of them. Community dental clinics charge on income-based sliding scales for cleanings, fillings and extractions, and some are free government supported dental clinics. We have a list of free or income-based dental clinics by state and county Charities and volunteer dentists provide free dental care through donated-care networks and dental school clinics, where supervised students do quality work at a fraction of the price.
If you are on Medicaid, coverage for adult dental work depends on your state, and the challenge is often finding a location - use the guide to locating a dentist that takes Medicaid. If you have no coverage at all (not Medicaid or private insurance), there are still options for keeping care. See the dentist with no insurance needed page for programs.
Glasses, eye exams and hearing aids
Eyes and ears are where even insured people fall through the cracks in the healthcare system, so some charities fill the gap. National programs give away free eye exams and prescription glasses to children and low-income adults. Medicaid pays for vision care for children in every state, but adult coverage varies widely by state, so check what yours covers and then see our guide to finding an eye doctor that accepts Medicaid.
Hearing aids are rarely covered by any insurance, and a single device can cost thousands. To help meet this need, several nonprofits run hearing aid assistance programs that provide free or steeply discounted devices.
Free mental health care and addiction treatment
Therapy and counseling do not have to wait for insurance. Community health centers and nonprofit counseling agencies often see patients on sliding scales. There are also free mental health services from government programs, schools, colleges and clinics. If you or someone you love is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988 - the national crisis line is free and answers around the clock. Addiction is a medical condition, and treatment exists for people with no money: state-funded beds, nonprofit programs and other forms of free drug and alcohol rehab take patients who are uninsured.
Free or very cheap prescription drugs
Almost every major drug company will send its medicines free or nearly free to patients who cannot afford them - they just make you apply. Those patient assistance programs, plus discount cards, low-cost generic lists at big pharmacies, and state programs, are all covered in the guide to free prescription drugs. People managing a chronic condition can also get supplies, such as free or very low-cost insulin, from manufacturers and nonprofits.
Hospital bills - charity care and emergency treatment
Two rules protect you at a hospital, and most patients have never been told either one.
- First, an emergency room must examine and stabilize you in a true emergency whether or not you can pay - they cannot demand money first.
- Second, nonprofit hospitals are required to have a financial assistance policy, often called charity care, in order to keep their tax-exempt status, and several states require some form of it from every hospital. If you qualify by income, part or all of the bill is forgiven - but you usually have to ask. Call the billing office, ask for the financial assistance application, and read how hospital charity care works before you agree to a payment plan.
If bills have already piled up, charities and government programs offer financial help with medical bills after the fact too - especially when they become mid to long-term debt. See the NHPB guide about if your medical bill has become debt — aged, in collections, or affecting your credit — here is what you can still do.
Free or nearly free health coverage
Care and health insurance coverage are different problems. Everything above gets you treated; an insurance policy keeps you covered before things become urgent. Medicaid is free for those who qualify, the Children's Health Insurance Program covers kids and teens through CHIP even in working families, and income-based discounts can reduce the price of a marketplace plan from https://www.healthcare.gov/. The full picture - who qualifies, how to apply, and how to keep coverage once you have it - is in the guide to free health insurance.
Free care for seniors, veterans and other groups
Some options for free care depends less on your income than on your situation.
- Seniors on Medicare can get prescription costs cut by the federal Extra Help program, and every state runs a free counseling service (SHIP) that helps older adults sort out Medicare bills and options. See the guide to the Extra Help program
- Veterans may qualify for VA health care, and the VA medical care hardship program can reduce what enrolled veterans owe.
- American Indians and Alaska Natives can receive no-cost care at Indian Health Service facilities.
If you have no insurance at all, a separate guide lists national charities providing medical care for the uninsured. And if you have insurance but the deductibles and co-pays are burying you, co-pay charities such as the HealthWell Foundation and other programs for the underinsured pay those out-of-pocket costs for specific conditions.
One warning before you start calling
Real free health care never starts with a stranger contacting you. If someone calls, texts or knocks offering free medical equipment, testing or "government health benefits" in exchange for your Medicare, Social Security or bank numbers, it is a scam. Legitimate clinics and programs do not charge a fee to apply and do not need your numbers to tell you whether you qualify.
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