Low-Cost Health Care in Philadelphia: 8 City Health Centers, Free STI Clinics and Sliding-Fee Care

In Philadelphia, the City’s own medical care comes from the Department of Public Health, which runs eight City health centers offering primary care, dental care and support services [1]. If you don’t have insurance, they charge a small fee based on your family size and income [1]. Federally funded community health centers across the city offer income-based discounts too [1][5].

This guide covers where to go and what it costs. It isn’t medical advice.

City health centers

The eight centers provide a full range of primary medical and support services to registered patients, from checkups and chronic-disease care to prenatal and children’s care, lab tests and x-rays, behavioral health and help quitting tobacco [1]. They take urgent care (walk-in) patients but require appointments for some services, so the City asks you to call ahead [1]. Interpretation is available [1].

What it costs

City health centers accept Medicare, Medicaid, HMO plans and most other insurance [1]. If you’re uninsured, the centers charge a small fee based on family size and income [1]. Payment is made in person at the health center, with cash or a money order depending on the service [1].

Dental care

Dentists at the City health centers provide basic and emergency dental care to enrolled patients, with the same insurance and income-based fee rules [3]. Each center in the table above has a dental line listed on the City’s page [1]. Walk-ins are accepted, but appointments are encouraged [3].

Help getting insurance

Benefits counselors at City health centers can talk through your coverage options and help you apply. Make an appointment, and call first because services may be limited at some sites [4]. The City points residents to COMPASS for Medicaid and other state benefits, CHIP for children and Pennie, Pennsylvania’s marketplace [4].

Free STI testing and treatment

Health Center 1, 1930 S. Broad St., 2nd floor, is the City’s walk-in clinic for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Testing and treatment are free, confidential and open to anyone over 13; no appointment is needed [2]. It also offers PrEP and PEP for HIV, and vaccines for hepatitis A and B, HPV and mpox [2].

• Hours: weekdays from 7:45 a.m., open until 7 p.m. on Mondays and until 4 p.m. most other days; on the first Wednesday of each month it opens at 1 p.m. [1][2]. The City’s two pages differ on whether Wednesday also runs until 7 p.m., so call before an evening visit.
• Phone: (215) 685-6570 or (215) 685-6575 [2]
• Note: the satellite STI clinic at Health Center 5 has been temporarily unavailable since September 12, 2025 [2]. On busy days the clinic may close early, so call first [2].

Sliding-fee community health centers

Beyond the City’s own centers, look for a federally funded health center near you with HRSA’s Find a Health Center tool [5]. Under federal rules, these centers [6]:

• give a full discount to patients at or below the federal poverty guideline, though they may charge a nominal fee;
• aren’t required to discount for patients above twice the poverty guideline; and
• can’t deny anyone service because they can’t pay.

In 2026 the poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four, so twice the guideline is $31,920 and $66,000 [7]. Each center sets its own scale, so ask for its fee schedule and what proof of income it wants.

Hospital bills

For care in a hospital, ask about its financial assistance policy. Federal tax law requires every nonprofit hospital to have a written financial assistance policy covering emergency and other medically necessary care, publish it on a website, and spell out who qualifies and how to apply [8]. Once you’re found eligible, the hospital can’t charge you more than its “amounts generally billed” for emergency or medically necessary care [8].

Which door to try first

• Need a regular doctor or dentist and have little or no insurance: a City health center [1][3].
• STI or HIV testing: Health Center 1, walk-in and free [2].
• Closer to a community clinic: HRSA’s Find a Health Center, and ask for the sliding fee schedule [5][6].
• A hospital bill you can’t pay: ask the hospital for its financial assistance application [8].