HOUSTON – A big concern for many families in the Houston area is how to find affordable healthcare. Back-to-school time is often a busy time for parents looking for affordable care. KPRC 2′s Bill Spencer is looking for ways to help families save money on everything from dental visits to regular check-ups.
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Michelle Martinez is walking her 12-year-old son Donovan into one of Legacy Community Health’s 57 health clinics for his annual check-up.
Legacy Community Health is an ultra-low-cost, federally qualified healthcare center, the 3rd largest in the nation, providing a whole list of healthcare services to more than 215,000 low-income families in our area.
Donovan has been coming here since he was five and his mother says the low cost and quality have been a blessing, especially for this large family with six children.
“This program is such a blessing because we’ve been able to pay out of pocket, but with it being very affordable, there are programs that Legacy offers. It’s sliding scale,” Michelle Martinez said. “So we’ve been able to get on that program and pay a very low cost for his care.”
“The visit is $40 when he gets a checkup. Dental is depending on what he’s having done. The prices vary,” she said.
Legacy Community Health offers children a complete menu of services including:
- Well-child exams
- Vaccinations and immunizations
- Treatment for asthma
- Ear infections
- Sports physicals
- Dental care
“Without Legacy, I would be really hard for me,” said Martinez. “He needs to go to the dentist, to see his therapist, to see his primary doctor. Those are a lot of visits, and kids need a lot of those health care needs.”
In addition to all that Donovan also sees a behavioral therapist twice a month to help him with an anxiety disorder. All this care is provided on a sliding scale based on your income level.
“Income level can range from $10,000 to, 25, 30, $40,000, whatever it may be. There is no specific number that we have for our patient population. We try to help find resources for anyone who may come through the door that may need assistance, with health care, dental vision, or behavioral health,” said Stephanie Ramirez, Legacy Community Health.
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And finally, one more critical offering, Legacy operates several discount prescription drug pharmacies, that offer prescription drugs at low, low prices for families that might otherwise skip getting the prescriptions they need because of price.
As for young Donovan, his mother says with Legacy her son is now stronger and healthier than ever before.
“Just the way he presents himself with his confidence, receiving the therapy, receiving the health care that he knows, you know, he’s in good shape to go back to school and he’s ready to take on the world being healthy,” she said.
What do parents have to do to become a Legacy Community Health client?
Legacy Community Health is a full-service healthcare system comprised of over 50 locations in the Texas Gulf Coast region.
You can learn more by going to Legacycommunityhealth.org
You can also call these numbers: For school-based health, 281-628-2050 or for community clinics, 832-548-5000
Other options for affordable health care in Houston
There are many other options for families looking for affordable healthcare appointments in the Houston area. Many of the clinics listed below are open extended hours and weekends to help families book appointments after work hours.
- Express Family Clinic has offices in Spring, Conroe, and New Caney, and offers low-cost healthcare without insurance. Office visits are $50.
- CHRISTUS Foundation for Health Care, located in Houston’s East End, provides healthcare and mental health services to uninsured and underserved patients. CHRISTUS also has Healthy Living Mobile Clinics and School Clinics.
- El Centro de Corazon has three centers in the Houston area where families can go for low-cost doctor visits for children, women and family.
- Spring Branch Community Health Center is not just in Spring Branch. SBCHC has 8 community clinic locations and 2 Mobile Health Clinics serving the Spring Branch, Memorial, West Houston, Katy, Cy-Fair and Northwest areas ready to meet all your healthcare needs.
- Memorial Hermann Houston (Neighborhood Health Centers) locations are designed to serve as a medical home for uninsured or underinsured Houstonians. There are several locations in the Houston area.
- Vecino Health Centers has two Houston-area clinics to help treat children and families. This includes the Denver Harbor Family Health Center.
- Ibn Sina Foundation - The services provided include but are not limited to the Medical, Dental, Diagnostic, Specialty, and Mental Health/Well-Being Program. Ibn Sina also has substance abuse recovery services.
- Busy Bee Health Center is a non-profit, community-based health center for sick visits and also dental check-ups.
- St. Hope Healthcare is located in the Bellaire area of Houston. You’ll find low-cost medical appointments along with other services like medical imaging testing.
- Another option for affordable health careto find a health center. Health Resources & Services Administration search tool allows you to find low-cost clinics near you.