Free and low cost health care in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Middlesex County residents can see a doctor, a dentist, or a counselor even without insurance or much money. Community health centers such as Lowell Community Health Center and Cambridge Health Alliance treat everyone and set fees by income. Volunteer doctors run free clinics in Marlborough and Framingham. Two local colleges operate low cost dental clinics. This guide lists each option, with phone numbers and websites.
Government programs are part of the picture too. If your income is low, the state Health Safety Net may cover your care at community health centers and hospitals. A free state phone line connects anyone to mental health support at any hour. Staff at the health centers can also help you apply for MassHealth or other coverage at no charge. Each section of this guide covers one type of care.
Community health centers in Middlesex County
Community health centers are the main source of ongoing medical care for people with low incomes in the county. They accept MassHealth, Medicare, and private insurance. They also treat people with no insurance and charge on a sliding fee scale based on income. No one is turned away over an unpaid bill. Staff at each center can help you apply for coverage.
Lowell Community Health Center serves the Greater Lowell area from 161 Jackson St in Lowell. Call 978-937-9700. The website is https://www.lchealth.org. The center provides primary care for adults and children, behavioral health care, and a pharmacy. Its Donahue Dental Center offers exams, cleanings, fillings, tooth removal, and dentures, and patients do not need insurance. Insurance navigators at the center can help you find a health plan and walk you through the application.
Cambridge Health Alliance is a public health care system with hospitals and care centers across the eastern part of the county. New patients can call 617-665-1305 to choose a primary care location. The website is https://www.challiance.org, and its locations page lists every current site with addresses and hours. CHA runs hospitals in Cambridge, Everett, and Somerville.
- It also operates primary care centers in those three cities plus Malden and Medford, along with teen health centers inside several local high schools. The Somerville campus has an urgent care that is generally open every day for walk-ins, but check the website before going. The system accepts MassHealth and Health Safety Net coverage. Its financial access team helps people find affordable coverage at 617-665-1100.
Charles River Community Health serves the Waltham area at 43 Foundry Ave. Call 781-693-3800. The website is https://www.charlesriverhealth.org. The center offers primary care, dental care for adults and children, eye care, mental health care, and a pharmacy. Interpreters are available. Fees follow a sliding scale for patients without insurance.
Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center runs a full service health center at 354 Waverly St in Framingham. Call 508-370-0113. The website is https://www.kennedychc.org. The Framingham site offers medical care, dental care, behavioral health, eye exams, and a pharmacy. The center serves everyone regardless of ability to pay and offers a sliding fee discount. Staff can also help you sign up for health insurance.
South Cove Community Health Center runs a clinic at 277 Commercial St in Malden, a short walk from Malden Center station. Call 781-912-2500. The website is https://scchc.org. The Malden clinic offers internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN care, family planning, eye care, and free help enrolling in coverage. South Cove focuses on serving Asian communities, and staff provide care in Chinese, Vietnamese, and other languages.
Free clinics run by volunteers
Volunteer doctors and nurses run free clinics in the county for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Visits cost nothing.
MetroWest Free Medical Program holds free evening clinics at 246 Maple St, Suite 1, in Marlborough. Adult medicine is usually on Tuesday evenings, and women's health is usually on Thursday evenings. All visits are by appointment, and the program no longer sees walk-ins. Call 508-656-0740 for English or 508-656-0741 for Portuguese or Spanish to book a visit and confirm the current schedule. The website is https://metrowestfreemedicalprogram.org. The program provides exams, prescription medications, and referrals for labs and specialists, with interpreters at every clinic. It also runs a free vision clinic in Sudbury, usually one Monday evening each month.
Gratis Healthcare is a free clinic based in Framingham that sees most patients by video or phone. It accepts new patients who are uninsured or underinsured and have no primary care doctor. Appointments are requested through the website at https://gratishealth.org. You can also call 508-342-7708 or 401-647-6896. Volunteer doctors and nurses provide internal medicine and mental health visits at no charge, and physicals and other in person visits are arranged by appointment. Phone lines and interpreters cover English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Free and low cost dental care
Dental problems get treated at little or no cost at several places in the county. The community health centers in this guide are the first option. Lowell Community Health Center, Kennedy Community Health in Framingham, and Charles River Community Health in Waltham all run full dental departments with sliding scale fees.
Middlesex Community College runs a dental hygiene clinic at 44 Middle St in Lowell. Call 978-656-3250 to schedule. The clinic page is https://www.middlesex.edu/academics/health/healthprograms/dentalclinic.html. Dental hygiene students clean teeth, take x-rays, and apply sealants and fluoride under the supervision of licensed faculty. Fees are low and set in advance. The clinic depends on the school calendar and student availability, so it generally runs from September through May. Confirm current openings on the clinic page or by phone before you plan a visit. Appointments take longer than a private office, and the clinic provides cleanings and preventive care only, so you still need a dentist for fillings or tooth removal.
Regis College Dental Center is a teaching clinic at 1432 Main St in Waltham that is open to the public. Call 781-768-7250 for an appointment. The center's page is https://www.regiscollege.edu/about-regis/regis-dental-center. Dental hygiene students provide cleanings, deep cleanings, x-rays, and sealants under the supervision of educators and a staff dentist. Fees are reduced, and the center accepts MassHealth and several insurance plans. The clinic follows the school calendar and student schedules, so call to confirm when it is open.
Donated Dental Services arranges free dental treatment from volunteer dentists. The program helps people who have a permanent disability, are age 65 or older, or are medically fragile and cannot afford care. There is an application and a waiting list, and the program opens applications in some counties at a time. The Massachusetts page is https://dentallifeline.org/massachusetts.
Mental health care and crisis help
Free mental health support is one phone call away at any hour. The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line answers calls and texts at 833-773-2445, day and night, every day. It is free, no insurance is needed, and trained staff stay on the line until you are connected to care. You can also chat online at https://www.masshelpline.com.
For in person help, community behavioral health centers treat mental health and substance use problems, and same day appointments are often available along with crisis care. Advocates runs the center for the MetroWest area at 1094 Worcester Rd in Framingham, generally open seven days a week, at 508-661-2020. Details are at https://advocates.org/services/cbhc. Vinfen runs the Lowell area center at 391 Varnum Ave, reached at 866-388-2242, with details at https://vinfen.org/cbhc. Cambridge Health Alliance runs the centers serving Cambridge and Malden, reached at 833-222-2030. A statewide map of every center is at https://www.mass.gov/find-a-cbhc.
Health services from your city or town
Your city or town board of health is another local source of care. Local health departments run vaccine clinics, offer flu shots, and can point you to low cost services nearby. The Cambridge Public Health Department at 119 Windsor St is one example, and staff answer questions at 617-665-3800. Its website is https://www.cambridgepublichealth.org. Check your own city or town website to find the health department where you live.
Planned Parenthood runs the Metro West Health Center at 91 Main St, Suite 103, in Marlborough. Call 508-970-1100. The center provides birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other sexual and reproductive health care. Uninsured patients may qualify for financial assistance, and staff explain costs before the visit. The center's page is https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/massachusetts/marlborough/01752/metro-west-health-center-3951-90610.
Veterans in the county can get care through the VA Bedford Healthcare System. The Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans' Hospital is at 200 Springs Rd in Bedford. Call 781-687-2000. The system serves veterans in Middlesex and Essex counties with primary care, mental health programs, and urgent care that is generally open on weekdays. Enrollment information is at https://www.va.gov/bedford-health-care.
Getting covered and more help
The fastest way to get lasting coverage is to ask for enrollment help at any community health center in this guide. Certified staff help you apply for MassHealth (website: https://www.mass.gov/topics/masshealth), as well as Health Connector plans (website: https://www.mahealthconnector.org/learn/plan-information/connectorcare-plans), and the Health Safety Net for free. Hospital financial counselors can file the same application with you. Bring proof of income and identification to speed things along.
One state program is worth knowing by name. The Health Safety Net pays community health centers and hospitals to treat eligible Massachusetts residents who are uninsured or underinsured. It is not an insurance plan. Some people qualify in full, and others qualify with a deductible based on income. The application is the same one used for MassHealth, so enrollment staff can check you for both at once. Details are at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/health-safety-net-for-patients.
The NHPB guide to Massachusetts health care programs for people without insurance explains the statewide programs in more detail. If you already owe money for a hospital stay, that is a different problem than finding care, and the NHPB guide to getting help with hospital bills covers it.
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