Not everybody recognizes the benefits of seeing a physician on a regular basis. With the way the United States’ healthcare system is set up, it is not uncommon for adults under the age of 65 to be uninsured. In fact, the CDC reports from a survey conducted in 2014 that 16.3% of adults between the ages of 18 and 65 are uninsured.
Even people who have health insurance opt not to see a physician on an annual basis, instead using health centers as solely a source of sudden injury and illness treatment. This behavior is in part created by the false sense of immortality that many young persons, especially male, subscribe to that, in reality, is a danger to their health. Examining this nation’s health statistics, this perception of immortality could not be any more wrong.
By only seeing a physician once symptoms become overwhelming, people are limiting their physician’s chances of detecting a potentially deadly condition at an early stage. The United States’ number one cause of death each year is heart disease. Heart disease accounts for approximately 1 in 4 deaths in this country. One of its primary contributing factors includes high blood pressure, which plagues 1 in 3 adults in America. High blood pressure is incredibly easy to test for, and can even be treated with simple, low-cost medication. When you visit the doctor, one of the first things they will typically test you for is high blood pressure.
What also may explain why young people choose not to take advantage of health care is because once they are off their parent’s insurance, or deemed too old to see their pediatrician, they do not take the initiative into finding a new health care provider. Because of how complicated our country’s healthcare system is, it is understandable why young people are in no hurry to find a new physician. Also, for uninsured people, health care may sound too expensive to use for something as routine as an annual check-up.
However, we at AFC Urgent Care Portland offer affordable physical exams for patients with and without health insurance. At our center, we administer $99 physicals (not including lab costs or X-rays) for patients without insurance, or patients choosing not to use their insurance. Few other centers offer health care at a price as reasonable as this.
For insured patients, we accept the vast majority of Americans’ health insurances, making our center the most convenient destination for health care. Furthermore, our walk-in availability means no waiting weeks upon weeks before seeing a primary care physician. When you visit our center, we also always guarantee that you will be seeing a real doctor, not a nurse or physician’s assistant.
Feel free to visit any of our four centers, located in NW Portland, NE Portland, Lake Oswego and Beaverton, any day of the week – no appointment necessary. We look forward to being your go-to health care provider and making sure you are on the right path to living a healthy lifestyle!
