I feel I have to respond to the heart-felt man attempting to get medical care. I can present three options:
1. Totally free care at the Fayette Care Clinic. Hours are limited and I don’t know the costs of labs though I believe they are discounted. There might be an income cap, but I don’t think so. Only restriction is that you must be an Fayette County resident.
2. I think the name is the Take care clinic, or Care bridge. It is a low-cost clinic run in conjunction with the Peachtree City First Baptist Church. I’m sure their office has the answer.
3. I am happy to see this gentleman and his family in my office. My standard price for all self-pay patients is a flat $70 regardless of complexity (cash or credit card).
Basic labs are only $10 each. This covers A1C testing, kidney function and cholesterol panel. All are only $10 each. In addition, most diabetic meds are $4 at Walmart or Kroger and some are even free at Publix.
I can get them in tomorrow after hours if need be, otherwise definitely next week.
There are long explanations as to why he cannot get insurance (Georgia had its own high risk pool until Obamacare) and the cost charged by his current doctors (I would need to know what practice he was seeing). Most important, however, is getting them the care they need right now and working out the rest later.
Anthony Lawson, M.D.
Starr’s Mill Internal Medicine
Fayetteville, Ga.
