HATTIESBURG — A new downtown health clinic is offering an alternative to traditional health care — one designed for those who often go without it. 

Hall Health, which opened May 8, provides primary care without requiring insurance. Patients pay a flat monthly fee and get unlimited visits, longer appointment times and direct access to their doctor — a model aimed at reducing costs and improving outcomes for uninsured and underserved residents. 

In Mississippi, where nearly 42% of residents are uninsured and Medicaid hasn’t been expanded, gaps in care often lead to delays, missed diagnoses and worsening conditions. Hall Health aims to bridge that divide. 

“We want to be a place where anyone can walk through the doors and feel seen, heard and cared for,” said founder Dr. Rasheeda Hall, a board-certified family and obesity medicine physician. “This is about the community. This is about changing lives.” 

How the model works 

The clinic operates under a Direct Primary Care model, which is not health insurance and does not cover specialty or hospital services. Instead, it provides patients with consistent access to affordable, routine care — the kind many people often go without due to cost. 

Instead of billing insurance, patients pay a monthly membership fee that covers most primary care services — including in-person and virtual visits, chronic condition management and preventive care.  

At Hall Health, individual plans start at $125 per month, and family pricing scales based on household size. Monthly pricing ranges from $175 for one adult and one child to $350 for two adults and two or more children.

It operates by appointment only, with limited daily slots to ensure patients receive focused, one-on-one care. Appointments last 30-60 minutes, and patients can contact Hall directly by phone, text message or email during business hours. 

For patients like the Hub City’s Bettie Dahmer, this personal approach makes a world of difference. 

“If your physician cares for you, your health outcome will be better,” she said, a statement backed up by the Mayo Clinic, which reports patients who trust their providers often report healthier behaviors, fewer symptoms and a higher quality of life. 

Expanding access and building trust 

After more than a decade practicing in Hattiesburg, Hall said she often saw patients who felt rushed or unseen — particularly women and people of color. That experience helped shape her approach to care.

“I wanted to create an atmosphere where the patients had time — time to tell me about everything that they had going on … and to feel empowered,” Hall said. 

Patient Ariel Davis said Hall’s clinic fills a longstanding gap.  

“She’s a doctor that actually listens, and she’s a doctor that actually cares about your well-being, and she goes the extra mile,” Davis said. “It’s been needed in this community and for Black people especially, but for Black women more. Most of the time we are misdiagnosed, we are mistreated, underdiagnosed and just put off.” 

Hall said her clinic was designed to address those concerns. 

“As we move forward, we plan on opening up so that we really can service anyone, whether they have the ability to pay or not,” she said. 

Providing lasting support to the community

Mississippi is one of just 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid, the government program that provides health coverage to low-income Americans. As a result, more than 200,000 low-income residents fall into a coverage gap — earning too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. 

In Forrest County, about 11% of residents were impacted between 2022 and 2023. In nearby Perry County, that number is nearly 15%. 

In addition to serving individuals, Hall Health partners with small- and mid-sized businesses to offer affordable care to employees. Employers pay a group membership fee that gives workers access to the same benefits — unlimited visits, medication support and wellness services — with no co-pays or deductibles. 

This model is still emerging in Mississippi but is gaining traction at other facilities like Tupelo Medical Group in north Mississippi. 

While Hall Health currently includes seven exam rooms, private offices and a lab, Hall’s goal is to continue growing the direct patient care model and offer more services in the future. 

“This is just the beginning! I have a lot of big plans to incorporate a lot of different aspects of health and wellness within this building and offer to the community, and I’m just excited to see where it goes,” Hall said.