Self-Pay Basics
Uninsured? Start Here: Your Complete Playbook
No insurance? Work this order: check Medicaid/CHIP, price a subsidized marketplace plan (payments now average $178/mo), then use the cash-pay toolkit.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Healthcare without the insurance maze
Know the cash price. Pay less for healthcare.
Real, sourced prices for doctor visits, dental work, imaging, and prescriptions without insurance, plus the negotiation playbooks and insurance alternatives nobody explains. Built for the self-employed, the uninsured, and anyone tired of surprise bills.
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Cost Guides
What healthcare actually costs without insurance: real cash prices for doctor visits, dental work, imaging, labs, prescriptions, and procedures.
32 guides →
Insurance Alternatives
Direct primary care, health sharing ministries, catastrophic plans, and other ways to cover yourself outside traditional health insurance.
6 guides →
Pay Less
Proven strategies to lower medical bills: negotiation scripts, charity care, discount cards, free clinics, and price transparency tools.
7 guides →
Self-Pay Basics
Start-here guides for navigating healthcare without insurance: your rights, your options, and how to avoid the biggest mistakes.
2 guides →
Most Useful Guides
Prescriptions
GLP-1 Cost Without Insurance: Zepbound, Wegovy & Ozempic Self-Pay Prices
Zepbound costs $299-$449 a month self-pay through LillyDirect, and Wegovy runs $349 through NovoCare. See every GLP-1 cash price, dose by dose.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Pay Less
How to Negotiate Medical Bills (Scripts That Work)
Most people who challenge a medical bill win: 74% of reported errors get fixed. Use these scripts to get an itemized bill, audit it, and pay less.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Doctor Visits & Urgent Care
Urgent Care Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
Urgent care visits cost $125-$300 without insurance, averaging about $180. See real cash prices for X-rays, labs, and stitches, plus ways to pay less.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Insurance Alternatives
Self-Pay vs. Health Insurance: The Honest Math
Unsubsidized marketplace coverage averages $625/month in 2026 while a healthy adult may spend under $1,000 cash. Here is the honest math, and the risk.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Dental
Wisdom Teeth Removal Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
Wisdom teeth removal costs $200-$700 per simple tooth and up to $1,100 impacted without insurance. See real all-four totals and 6 ways to pay less.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Latest Guides
Dental
Going to the Dentist Without Insurance: Every Option and What It Costs
No dental insurance? A cleaning runs $75-$200 and a filling about $226 cash. Compare real prices for common procedures and every way to pay less for care.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Dental
Braces Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
Braces cost $2,750-$8,500 without insurance, and lingual braces can top $11,000. See prices by type, payment plans, and how orthodontic schools cut costs.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Dental
Teeth Cleaning Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
A routine teeth cleaning costs about $75-$200 without insurance; deep cleaning runs $150-$350 per quadrant. See real cash prices and 6 ways to pay less.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Procedures & Surgery
Having a Baby Without Insurance: What Childbirth Really Costs
Childbirth costs about $15,712 for a vaginal delivery and $28,998 for a C-section without insurance. See birth center, self-pay package, and Medicaid options.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Insurance Alternatives
Direct Primary Care: What It Is and What It Costs
Direct primary care memberships run $50-$100 a month for most adults. See what DPC includes, what it excludes, and how to pair it with catastrophic coverage.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Vision
Eye Exam Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
An eye exam costs $50-$250 without insurance. Compare cash prices at Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and America's Best, plus ways to pay less.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Dental
Dental Implant Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
A single dental implant costs $3,000-$6,000 without insurance and a full arch runs $20,000-$60,000. See the post, abutment, and crown breakdown and savings.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Doctor Visits & Urgent Care
ER Visit Cost Without Insurance (2026 Guide)
An ER visit without insurance averages $1,500-$3,000, and severe cases can top $20,000. See facility fees by severity level and how to cut the bill.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Procedures & Surgery
Hysterectomy Cost: What to Expect With and Without Insurance
A hysterectomy costs $11,550-$27,325 without insurance, averaging $19,450. Cash-price surgery centers charge under $10,000. See prices by approach and setting.
Updated Aug 28, 2026
Every number is sourced
We cite government data, price transparency files, and published cash prices. No made-up averages. See our editorial policy.
Built for real decisions
Low, typical, and high price ranges, what drives them, and exactly how to pay less, including scripts you can read off your phone.
No judgment
Millions of Americans pay cash for care. We help you do it smartly, and we're honest about when insurance or assistance programs are the better move.