Central Florida Health Care Health Care, Doctor, MD, Hardee County, Highlands County Central Florida, Free Clinic, Internet

This clinic is listed under Free Clinics on the Internet. I started going there in 2011, because
like many people I was out of a job going back to college and had no insurance. The sign at the desk reminds you there is a $20 fee due for each visit. You'll assume that's all you owe, since this is a free clinic. What they fail to tell you is they charge $120 for each visit! After you rack up about a $450 bill, then they'll tell you. Supposedly this is on a sliding scale, and even though I'm
a divorced dad with one child making minimum wage, Somehow I only qualify for a 17% reduction.

I figured there must be some sort of mistake, so I asked them to re-check. They said now I qualified for
an 83% reduction...but not for the $450 or so bill I already owed. Most of their clients are illegal aliens who don't speak English, so I imagine most of them don't know they're getting shafted.

The quality of the health care you get is also sub par. One doctor there put me on diuretics for High Blood Pressure, and told me to go on Atkins. Right, that's a great way to burn up my kidneys. Another time I came in with strep throat. The doctor that time lectured me for about twenty minutes, telling me how probably didn't have strep throat, until I finally interrupted her and pointed out again my daughter had strep throat and that I also looked up the symptoms on the internet. Then she back peddled and brought in another doctor to look at me to CYA. Later I asked for a
Doctor's excuse for work. It took several calls and having to listen to many excuses, but after about a week I got an excuse...a type written three line excuse on a blank piece of paper with no company letterhead and with no signature.

My advice: for the outrageous prices they charge and don't tell you about, and the sub-standard care you
will receive, don't go here.  You can see a real doctor for less than $120.