Jennifer Stearns, MD in Baltimore: Internal Medicine for Uninsured and Self-Pay Patients
Jennifer Stearns, MD runs a private internal medicine practice in Baltimore focused on direct-pay patients, charging cash rates well below typical insurance-negotiated prices and avoiding the overhead of insurance billing entirely. This approach shifts the cost-benefit calculation for uninsured Baltimore residents and self-pay patients seeking continuity with a physician willing to spend time on complex cases without the time pressure of high-volume, insurance-dependent practices.
What Jennifer Stearns, MD actually is
Stearns operates a solo internal medicine practice that accepts no insurance and functions on a cash-only basis. She diagnoses and manages chronic disease, coordinates preventive care, and handles acute illness in the outpatient setting. The practice does not handle emergency conditions; those belong in an emergency department. Unlike a primary care urgent-care hybrid, this is a physician office for scheduled appointments with one board-certified internist. For Baltimore residents without coverage or high deductibles, this removes the gatekeeper problem of finding an in-network primary care doctor and cuts the visit cost to a transparent, published rate.
Services and pricing
Office visits for established patients run $150 per visit; new-patient appointments cost $200 and typically last 45 minutes. Sick visits for acute issues are charged as routine visits. The practice does not bill insurance, so the patient pays the full fee at time of service. No claim is filed; no explanation of benefits arrives later. For uninsured patients, the cash price is often lower than the out-of-pocket cost after a high deductible on a marketplace plan. Drug prescriptions are written as standard generics when possible to keep medication costs low; the practice can discuss cost at the pharmacy before dispensing.
Lab work ordered through the office is sent to an external laboratory and billed separately. Stearns does not perform in-office labs or imaging; those services are referred out, and the patient receives a separate invoice from the provider.
How this compares to other Baltimore internal medicine options
Baltimore has several entry points to internal medicine. A federally qualified health center (FQHC) like Chase Brexton Health Care or Charm City Care provides primary care on a sliding-fee scale, typically $50–$150 per visit depending on income, and accepts multiple insurance plans. Those centers handle high volume, often book appointments weeks out, and may cycle through different providers. An insurance-in-network internist at Medstar or University of Maryland Medical Center offers continuity but charges copays ($25–$50) plus deductible responsibility, and scheduling waits can exceed three weeks.
Stearns suits patients who value appointment speed, direct doctor contact, and transparent pricing above insurance reimbursement convenience. She works best for self-employed people, gig workers, recent immigrants without insurance, and those between jobs. She does not suit patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or employer plans who expect those benefits to cover the visit; those patients should use in-network providers to avoid losing insurance benefit protection.
Who this practice suits and who it does not
Choose Stearns if you pay out of pocket, value a single physician over three years, and prefer low transaction costs. Choose an FQHC if your income is under 300% of federal poverty line and you want insurance-subsidized care. Choose an insurance-network internist if you have active coverage and want claims processing handled automatically.
Patients with complex chronic disease, those needing frequent medication adjustment, and those who benefit from seeing the same doctor repeatedly are good matches. Patients requiring extensive subspecialty referral networks may find coordination harder in a solo practice.
What the first visit involves
The new-patient appointment lasts 45 minutes. Stearns takes a full history, performs a physical exam, and reviews past medical records if the patient has them. She orders labs or imaging as indicated. A problem list and treatment plan are documented. The visit fee is $200, payable at check-in. Subsequent visits run $150 and are typically 20–30 minutes.
Labs ordered during the visit are billed separately by the laboratory, not by the practice. Patients should ask for the test code list and confirm cost at the lab before blood draws if cost is a major concern.
Hours, parking, and logistics
The practice operates by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no walk-in service and no Saturday or evening hours. Parking is street parking or a nearby lot; this should be confirmed when scheduling, as location details may change. The practice is located in Baltimore City; call to confirm the current address and whether the office is accessible by public transit from your home.
Patients should bring photo ID and any insurance cards they hold, even though the practice does not bill insurance (cards help establish identity and may be useful for referral labs).
Verification note
Hours and parking details change; confirm these by phone when scheduling your first appointment.
Jennifer Stearns, MD fills a gap for Baltimore's uninsured and self-pay population who need consistent internal medicine without insurance overhead or wait times. For that specific group, the practice delivers faster access, lower cost than insurance deductibles, and continuity with one physician.
