The Complete Guide to Cash-Pay Healthcare in Austin, TX

Cash-Pay Healthcare: Why It's Often Cheaper Than Insurance

ere's something most people don't realize: paying cash for healthcare is frequently cheaper than using your insurance. Especially in Austin, where a growing network of transparent-pricing clinics, direct primary care practices, and cash-pay specialists are disrupting the traditional system.

f you're uninsured, underinsured, or just tired of surprise bills, this guide is for you. Last updated: February 2026

What Is Cash-Pay Healthcare?

ash-pay (also called "self-pay" or "direct-pay") means you pay the provider directly at the time of service — no insurance company involved. The price you're quoted is the price you pay. Period. Why it's often cheaper:

No insurance middlemen taking a cut
No facility fees or coding markups
Providers get paid immediately (no 60-day insurance wait)
Lower administrative costs = lower prices

Real example: A Complete Blood Count (CBC) through insurance might cost $75–$150 after your "negotiated rate." Through LaboratoryAssist, the cash-pay price is $5. That's not a typo.

Austin's Cash-Pay Healthcare Landscape

ustin has become one of the best cities in Texas for cash-pay healthcare. Here's what's available:

🩺 Primary Care & General Visits

Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices offer unlimited visits for a flat monthly fee:

Euphora Health: $85–$99/month (includes unlimited visits, in-office tests)
Texas Direct Medical Care: Membership model with $3–$5 lab tests
DirectMed DPC: $119/month for adults
People's Community Clinic: Sliding scale, visits as low as $25

Browse all General+Care providers →

🔬 Lab Work & Blood Tests

This is where cash-pay savings are most dramatic:

LaboratoryAssist: CBC $5, Metabolic Panel $6, Lipid Panel $7
Any Lab Test Now: Walk-in, no doctor order needed for most tests
Cash-pay range for common labs: $4–$49 vs. $50–$200+ through insurance

Compare blood work prices →

🏥 Imaging (MRI, CT, X-ray)

Radiology Assist: MRI from $263, CT from $130, X-ray from $33
Central Park Imaging: X-ray from $50, Ultrasound $200
Hospital MRI: $800–$3,000+
Cash-pay MRI: $263–$425

Compare imaging prices →

🦷 Dental Care

Affordable Dentistry of Austin: Cleaning from $69
Celebrate Dental: Various discount plans
Cash-pay cleaning: $75–$200 vs. negotiating with dental insurance

Browse Dental+Care →

🧠 Mental Health

Thriveworks Austin: Sessions from $99
Open Path Collective: $30–$80/session
Cerebral: Online psychiatry from $85/month

Browse Mental+Care →

🏃 Urgent Care

RediClinic (H-E-B): Minor illness visit $79
MinuteClinic (CVS): Minor illness visit $99
AFC Urgent Care: Self-pay visit $125
Texas MedClinic: $225 all-inclusive (includes labs, X-ray, sutures, EKG)

Browse Urgent+Care →

Who Should Consider Cash-Pay?

✅ Great fit if you:

Have a high-deductible health plan ($3,000+) and haven't met it
Are uninsured or between jobs
Need routine care, labs, or imaging
Want price transparency and no surprise bills
Are healthy and need occasional visits

⚠️ Think twice if you:

Have a chronic condition requiring expensive medications
Are planning surgery or hospitalization
Have already met your insurance deductible this year
Need ongoing specialist care

The sweet spot: Many Austinites combine a high-deductible insurance plan (for catastrophic coverage) with cash-pay for routine care. This hybrid approach often saves thousands per year.

How to Pay: HSA, FSA, and Credit Cards

ash-pay doesn't mean literal cash. Most providers accept:

HSA (Health Savings Account) — Pre-tax dollars, fully accepted ✅
FSA (Flexible Spending Account) — Use it or lose it, accepted ✅
Credit/Debit cards — Universal
Payment plans — Available at many providers for larger procedures

Tax tip: Cash-pay medical expenses above 7.5% of your AGI are tax-deductible, even without insurance.

The MarketCare Score: Finding Quality Cash-Pay Providers

ot all cheap providers are good, and not all expensive ones are worth it. That's why we created the MarketCare Score — a composite rating based on:

Google and Yelp reviews
Price transparency
Range of services
Accessibility (hours, online booking, location)

Browse providers ranked by MarketCare Score →

Austin's Cash-Pay Categories

arketCare tracks cash-pay prices across 16 care categories and 300+ procedures:

Category	Example Savings
Well+Care	CBC: $5 vs. $75
General+Care	Office visit: $100 vs. $250
Dental+Care	Cleaning: $75 vs. $200
Urgent+Care	Visit: $79 vs. $350
Mental+Care	Therapy: $30 vs. $200
Limb+Care	Knee MRI: $279 vs. $2,000
Back+Care	Chiro visit: $40 vs. $120
Skin+Care	Derm visit: $150 vs. $350

Start Saving Today

ustin's cash-pay healthcare ecosystem is one of the best in Texas. Whether you need a $5 blood test or a $264 MRI, transparent pricing puts you in control. Search procedures → | Browse providers → | Compare prices → The average MarketCare user saves $200–$500 per healthcare visit by comparing cash-pay prices.