What is a sliding-scale clinic?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
A sliding-scale clinic prices care by ability to pay: proof of income and household size sets your fee, and the same visit costs less when you earn less - down to a nominal fee or nothing. The biggest US providers are HRSA-funded community health centers: about 1,400 organizations, more than 16,000 sites, every state and territory, serving insured and uninsured alike, and barred from turning anyone away for inability to pay. The care is real primary care: checkups, chronic-disease management, prenatal care, vaccines, often dental and mental health too. Use one by finding your nearest through HRSA's finder, asking which income documents to bring, and saying you are uninsured when booking so the scale applies from the start. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you plan the visit.
What to do
- Search HRSA's health center finder: there is likely one near you.
- Bring income proof: pay stub, tax return, or benefits letter.
- Say you are uninsured when booking: the scale applies from the start.
- Ask about dental and mental health: often under the same roof.
Related questions
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- What is a community health center?
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