How much does an Annual Physical cost without Insurance?

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When an individual needs to schedule a physical visit once per year, they may hesitate to book an appointment due to the cost of the service, especially if they don’t have health insurance. However, how much does an annual physical cost without insurance?

An annual physical visit costs anywhere from $50 to $300 without insurance. The cost of this visit can increase by $20 to $200 if additional tests are done, like bloodwork or any kind of scan. People without insurance can visit walk-in clinics, hospitals, and urgent care centers for physicals.

Annual physicals are an important part of maintaining good health. It is important to prioritize them, even if you don’t have insurance. Yet, there are many different things that you should know that can prepare you for a physical exam and the costs that come with it, like a deeper look into the average cost, what you should expect in a physical exam, where to go if you don’t have insurance, and how to reduce the cost as much as possible.

Average Cost of a Physical Without Insurance

Individuals without health insurance have a wide spectrum of possibilities for the total price of their physical visit. The average cost of a physical exam without insurance is around $199 in the United States.

However, you could end up paying between $50 to $300. This is entirely dependent on where you live, state and local healthcare options, and what type of doctor or medical professional you go to. The cost of a physical exam covers a simple list of procedures. Usually, a patient will receive a review of their medical history, immunization records, prescriptions, a blood pressure test, a vision test, and a general evaluation of their physical health.

The best way to see what you should expect to pay is to call ahead to local doctor’s offices and compare their prices. This can help you assess what each clinic offers. Some clinics will offer more services under the title of a physical examination, but they might also charge more. Other clinics may only do the bare minimum during a physical exam and will cost significantly less.

Another benefit of calling ahead and investigating different clinics is the potential discounts and offers they have for people without insurance or for people who are paying upfront. Many clinics have discounted rates available that are not advertised. Calling them and asking about available discounts will help you assess which place will save you the most money for the best service.

An important thing to note is that physicals could also end up costing more if the patient has additional health complications and needs further medical tests ordered. For a blood panel, which is an incredibly common additional procedure, the average cost is $20 to $150. Asking about additional costs before the test is ordered is important when you don’t have insurance.

If you find that a physician or another medical provider is unwilling to tell you the price of the procedure without insurance, you can fight back for an answer. In 2022, an act was passed called the “No Surprises Act”, which requires hospitals to be transparent about the prices of any procedure they offer to patients.

Where to Get a Physical Without Insurance

Local Clinics

People can get a basic medical exam at local clinics, hospitals, or urgent care centers near them without insurance. Walk-in clinics are usually more affordable, easy to access, and efficient time-wise. Many walk-in clinics do not require an appointment. Their walk-in appointments are the perfect option for people who do not have a pressing medical emergency that is urgent but need a checkup nonetheless. The cost at these clinics usually averages between $50 to $200.

Local Hospitals

Hospital annual physical visits are best for people who are willing to pay a premium price for their physical exam. Hospitals are able to offer more comprehensive medical exams than clinics. Physicals at the hospital can also have additional procedures that would not be possible in a smaller clinic or location, as most have higher-end equipment.

People who decide to have their physical done at a hospital should also call ahead and make it clear to personnel that they do not have insurance. They should then ask for the exact costs of various parts of the physical before booking an appointment. Usually, the average cost of a physical done in a hospital is around $300. The pricing is higher for hospitals due to their ability to access more advanced equipment and their ability to run a multitude of different tests and exams.

Local Urgent Care Centers

People without insurance can also go to an urgent care center. These centers are often frequented by people in need of responsive medicine, however, many urgent care centers offer preventative care services like annual physicals.

An important thing to note is that these centers usually cost much less than a physical visit at a hospital. A medical physical booked at a local urgent care center usually costs between $100 to $200 or so. Urgent care centers also do not require an appointment, so you can just walk in and receive an exam.

Additional Costs

It is not uncommon for someone to go to a physical exam and end up needing more testing done. This is especially true for people who have additional medical issues that need to be addressed such as pain or other symptoms. If a doctor ends up discovering additional problems or concerns, they will order additional tests as needed. It is important to note that these potential additional tests mean additional costs. Usually, blood metabolic panels cost between $20 to $150, abdominal ultrasound tests often start at $180, and abdomen CT scans will start at $240.

At some capable medical clinics, in-depth tests are offered. Here is a list of common comprehensive tests that may be ordered during a physical exam.

• Comprehensive lab testing
• Auditory exams
• Stress tests
• Bone densitometry
• Complete cardiac tests such as EKGs.
• Pulmonary exams
• Some visual exams
• Pap smears
• Mammograms
• CT scans
• Dermatological consultations

Medical exams that include these kinds of deeper tests will cost much more than average annual physicals. They can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on what further tests and exams are needed and performed.

Added tests will add to the medical bill in potentially large amounts. It is a good idea to assume that the more comprehensive the medical service, the more the patient will need to pay.

It is also important to note that you can always decline any testing. You have rights as a patient, and if a doctor wants to perform an additional procedure that will add too much to your bill, you can tell them no. They can add it as a note and give you a referral at a later point.

However, it is also important to be wise with saying no to a procedure. Some procedures should not be pushed off until you can afford treatment, as it can make the underlying issue much worse or potentially lead to much larger issues in the long run.

How to Save Money on an Annual Physical Visit

There are quite a few ways to keep the visit affordable, even without insurance. The first way is to check if there are any free clinics nearby. Some cities have them and others do not. If you have some nearby, you should call and talk to them about the services that they provide.

Free clinics often provide medical services for people with no insurance and/or who cannot afford high costs. They will be able to answer your questions and likely point you in the right direction so you can get the help you need. Free clinics can also be found and researched online.

Popular companies like CVS and Walmart can offer medical services at impressively cheaper costs than other clinics or urgent care centers. For instance, Walmart offers preventative or routine health services like cholesterol and blood pressure screenings. These visits can often cost $65 or less. CVS locations have MinuteClinics that are well staffed with nurse practitioners and physician assistants who can provide physicals for younger children and older adult patients for as low as around $59!

If that doesn’t work, you can always try affordable to set something up at a walk-in clinic or urgent care center instead of a pricier hospital. The easiest way to save money is to get the exam from the place that offers the lowest cost.

It is also important for the patient to always asks about the price of any test or procedure before they get the procedure done. At the very least, asking will help you make an educated decision about accepting or denying the procedure. If it costs too much to be done at that time or place, you can always refuse and ask for a referral later on. Most procedures or tests don’t have to be conducted in the same clinic or center as the physical exam.

It is also important to check with your medical provider to see if they offer financial assistance or a payment plan for the procedure. This is especially true for tests and procedures that urgently need to be done. If the individual qualifies, they might be able to get reduced rates.

What Happens During an Annual Physical Visit?

Annual physical visits are routine checkups that are usually administered by a family medical practitioner, a general medical practitioner, or a general internist. Physical exams benefit people of all ages and stages in life. It is anticipated that these exams happen every year for people over the age of three. For children under the age of three, doctor’s appointments are much more frequent.

Generally, doctors will perform different tasks and tests during these exams. The types of tests and procedures performed will vary dependent on the organization that is providing the exam. The most common things evaluated and tested in annual physical visits include reviewing the patient’s medical history of their past illnesses and symptoms, their immunization and vaccination records, a review of their supplements and medications they are on, and the patient’s measurements of height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate and sound.

Medical professionals will also assess a patient’s face, eyes, ears, nose, throat, neck, underarms, skin, back, breasts, and thyroid gland to inspect for signals or signs of infection or disease

Add the Cost of these Tests without Insurance

Additional tests that may be included in an annual physical include X-rays, lab tests, blood tests, urine and stool tests, ECGs, and others. The cost of an X-Ray is around $100 to $1,000, a lab test is around $30 to $60, a blood test is around $20, a urine culture is around $30, and an EKG costs around $69. These are usually included in executive or comprehensive exams, but some clinics allow patients to selectively cherry-pick tests to add to their physical exam if the procedures are readily available.

Overall, it is important to remember that every part of a physical exam is important. These exams are made to help gauge a patient’s health and see if they are at risk of serious illness or are starting to develop medical conditions.

Why Getting an Annual Physical is Important

Something important to remember, especially when money is tight and a physical exam seems like a huge cost with little return, is that it is more affordable to regularly check for the onset of illnesses and health conditions than to deal with larger health problems later.

Preventative measures can help people avoid issues like widespread cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, chronic diseases, and type two diabetes. It is better to take preventative safety measures for one’s health now instead of more expensive remedial treatments later.

Whether or not you have health insurance, it is very important to get your physical exam done yearly. The cost can be mitigated through a variety of means, such as cherry-picking the doctor and organization you receive the service from, refusing certain procedures, and relying on payment plans and additional welfare. Getting a physical exam is a good thing to do and does not have to cost an arm and a leg.

No Insurance? 

When it comes to your healthcare, most people think that their only options are to pay for expensive Health Insurance or try out your luck being uninsured.

The great news is that you have a third option; You can join a Health Share plan that is affordable and meets your needs! Health Sharing programs are one of the most effective and affordable alternatives to Health Insurance. 

If you don’t know what a Health Share is, you can start here to learn how it works and why it’s a great alternative to health insurance. If you are looking for affordable healthcare, I highly recommend checking out my article about the Best Health Share Plans.