What Is a New Patient Special? Definition and Typical Prices
A new patient special is a discounted first visit offered to bring in new patients; in our October 2026 review of 312 advertising clinics, the median advertised first-visit price was $49.
A new patient special is a reduced-price first visit used in ads to lower the barrier to booking. It usually bundles a consultation, exam and sometimes a first treatment at a set price. A chiropractic office running "$49 new patient exam, back pain" on Facebook is using a new patient special. The goal is not to profit on the visit. It is to get a patient in the room so the clinic can earn the plan of care.
What do clinics charge for a new patient special?
Most clinics that advertise a price charge between $47 and $69. In the Clinic MarketingOS Local Clinic Ad Report, pulled from the Meta Ad Library on 2026-10-01 across 18 metros, 122 of 312 advertising clinics put a price on the first visit. The median was $49, the middle half sat between $47 and $69, and the full range ran from $19 to $205.
| First-visit price | Clinics |
|---|---|
| Under $40 | 17 |
| $40 to $59 | 54 |
| $60 to $79 | 30 |
| $80 to $99 | 19 |
| $100 and up | 2 |
See your city's numbers in the local ad report.
Does a new patient special work?
A new patient special works when it is tied to a specific problem and followed by a strong report of findings. One of the longest-running clinic ads in our data is a Cedar Park chiropractic "$49 special" ad, live since 2023-05-26, which is about 40 months. Clinics rarely keep paying for an ad that does not bring patients in. But a special alone is just a cheap visit. Without a clear plan of care at the end, you fill the schedule with people who leave after one appointment. See the longest-running clinic ads for how the durable ones are built.
What is the alternative to a discounted first visit?
The main alternative is a free discovery visit or call, which trades the price hook for a conversation. In our report, only 11 clinics led with a free call, compared with 122 showing a price, so in most markets it stands out. Our rule is one specific offer per ad, sometimes called a wedge offer: "$49 shoulder exam for lifters" beats "we treat everything" either way. The full data is in the state of clinic advertising 2026.
Questions owners ask
What is the most common new patient special price?
In the Clinic MarketingOS Local Clinic Ad Report, pulled from the Meta Ad Library on 2026-10-01, $49 was both the median and the most common advertised first-visit price, used by 34 of 122 clinics that showed a price.
Does a cheap new patient special attract bad patients?
It can attract bargain hunters if the ad is only about price. A special tied to a specific problem, such as a $49 back pain exam, tends to bring in people who actually have that problem.
Can I run a new patient special if I see Medicare patients?
Talk to a healthcare attorney first. Discounts and free services for Medicare patients raise compliance questions that a commercial-only cash clinic does not face.