With the health care debate raging in Washington, one local company is making an effort to provide low-cost medical care to those without insurance.
Med Direct Urgent Care has always offered a discount to patients who don't have insurance and pay in cash at the time of service, according to Dr. William O'Shaughnessy, medical director for the clinic.
But O'Shaughnessy said he and others in the clinic started looking at the growth of what he calls "retail clinics" that were popping up in the big chain drugstores, staffed by registered nurses and/or physicians assistants.
"We were freelancing ideas, and we came up with the idea that we could do a cash clinic for people who don't have insurance," O'Shaughnessy said. "The way it is now, about the only person who pays full price is a non-insured person. All of the insurance companies come around and bargain with you."
Starting this week, Med Direct will offer Cash Care, where patients with minor medical problems and no insurance can get treated for $59.
O'Shaughnessy said they can make this kind of care affordable because they have the space and the personnel, and they can avoid the costs associated with billing and dealing with insurance companies.
"There are a lot of people out there, when they see the bill, I've seen the tear in the eye," he said. "As a fellow human being, this isn't right."
This service would treat things like earaches, sore throats and coughs. The more serious cases, such as lacerations or orthopedic problems, would be taken care of on the urgent care side of their business.
O'Shaughnessy said he sees Cash Care as part of the services they provide in an effort to give back to the community. He pointed out that Med Direct gives free vouchers to nurses at all the local schools, so that children that need care while at school can get it for free.
"We do a lot of things to be community-minded, and I see this as an extension of that," he said.