Georgia Clinic Serves 58K Uninsured Patients for $20 Visits

For 20 years, a nonprofit clinic in Gwinnett County has quietly solved a problem that leaves a quarter of the area's workers vulnerable: no health insurance.

Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett runs two clinics that provide medical, dental, and pharmacy services under one roof. Since 2005, they've treated more than 58,000 people who couldn't afford traditional healthcare.

CEO Shameka Allen says the secret is simple. The nonprofit stopped offering free care in 2013 and started charging low fees, which let them hire full-time staff and see more patients.

"We changed the model to become a charitable, low-cost medical center," Allen explains. "We started hiring staff so patients could have more time with providers."

The approach works. Today, Good Sam delivers between $10 million and $13 million in healthcare services annually while keeping costs flat for four years running.

Unlike many safety-net clinics, Good Sam doesn't ask for proof of income or utility bills. Patients only need a government-issued ID, removing barriers that keep people from getting care.

The clinics treat patients as young as six months and as old as 93. When one family member walks through the door, the rest usually follow.

"Typically, when we see one, we see the whole family," Allen says. "Some of my providers have been treating the same patients for years."

Local hospitals like Northside Gwinnett now refer non-emergency patients to Good Sam. That partnership helps reduce expensive emergency room visits for problems that primary care doctors can handle.

About 30% to 40% of Good Sam's budget comes from fundraising and private donations. The rest comes from patient fees, making the model sustainable even as other nonprofits see funding disappear.

The Ripple Effect

Good Sam recently launched Access Academy, a five-month training program for medical assistants. The initiative targets low-income households from the same communities the clinics serve, creating career pathways in healthcare.

Tuition stays locked at an affordable rate, and students complete clinical rotations at Good Sam's facilities. The program's first cohort graduated in December.

The nonprofit purchased its two brick-and-mortar locations through federal community development grants, transforming run-down retail centers into thriving healthcare hubs. Former HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge visited the East clinic to highlight how the program supports low and moderate-income families.

By refusing federal healthcare funding like Medicaid and Medicare, doctors maintain flexibility to provide the care each patient needs. That independence, combined with affordable pricing, makes Good Sam a first introduction to American healthcare for many immigrant families.

Allen sees the model as proof that removing barriers works better than adding requirements. "We don't ask for citizenship status," she notes, focusing instead on treating whoever walks through the door.

One nonprofit is showing that accessible healthcare doesn't require choosing between quality and sustainability.