For people without medical insurance, going to the doctor can cost a boatload. However, Doctors Express, the only urgent care clinic in Lake Highlands that opened back in 2010, offers an alternative for those without insurance in the form of self-pay rates that start at just $99. Of all the patients that go to Doctors Express, 25-percent of them are uninsured/self-pay.

The care levels begin at $99 for a physician visit with no tests; $139 for a physician visit and one test or procedure; $199 for a physician visit with two tests or procedures; $229 for a physician visit, tests and complex procedures and $299 for a physician visit with complex tests and procedures. All of these prices are significantly lower than those found in an ER.

"There's a whole new level of uninsured people in today's economy," said Carol Ansley, owner of Doctors Express. "Some have lost their jobs and are no longer covered by health insurance from their previous employer, and others have made the economic decision to not have health insurance.

"We want to provide them with a center where they can come without fear of not having any idea of what their care is going to cost."

The urgent care clinic is located at the corner of Skillman and Royal. Doctors Express has the facilities and equipment to deal with just about any medical emergency. All patients are seen by a physician, so there's no need to worry about whether that nurse that examined you was qualified or not. For those people that don't have or cannot afford medical insurance, Doctors Express can save both lives and wallets.