Pittsburgh physician sees uninsured patients for $35

Morgan Haefner -

A physician in Pittsburgh is offering uninsured patients direct access to primary care for $35 a visit, according to Penn Live Patriot News

Timothy Wong, MD, opened a walk-in clinic in summer 2019 that doesn't deal with insurance claims or copays. Instead, the family physician sees mostly uninsured patients with minor infections or medical concerns who might otherwise rack up a huge bill at an emergency room.

Since opening the clinic, Dr. Wong has seen more than 1,000 patients. Many patients are finding Dr. Wong's clinic through Facebook and other websites. His goal was to see 20 patients a day, and at $35 each, bring in $700 a day. He hit that goal a couple of days after the new year, telling Penn Live Patriot News the business model "is a little stressful."

Still, he believes the uninsured market in Pittsburgh poses "huge growth potential" and expects the office to be financially sustainable.

Read the full report here.

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