A local physician is now doing more than fixing people's ailments. She's also helping to fix people's financial problems.

In a bold move, Reno doctor, Linda Lafferty, is giving her patients a very generous discount. In response to what she thought was a dire need, Dr. Lafferty decided to give unemployed and un-insured patients a 50% percent break on their medical bill.

Lafferty has been a family practitioner in Reno for more than twenty years, and lately she's heard some heartbreaking stories. She sees patients with serious illnesses, but no insurance to pay for treatment.

"I've tried to help people along the way, but this is certainly the worst I have ever seen," said Lafferty.

She and her staff faxed out a solicitation to local pharmacies, to help bring more needy patients in. If a person recently lost their job or their insurance coverage, but they're sick, Lafferty will pick up half the cost of a doctor's visit.

Gil and Stacey Hussla are completely uninsured. His company doesn't offer medical benefits. She's unemployed and her Cobra insurance just ran out.

"Scary, because you never know when something major might happen and you don't know how you're going to pay for it. As we get a little older, it gets scarier," said Stacey Hussla.

Lafferty gave the pair a half-off discount on their visit and refilled two prescriptions. To her, maybe a small gesture, but to them, a saving grace.

"It just shows how compassionate she is and how compassionate you have to be to be in the profession she is in. There are a lot of people in this situation who are worse off than we are," said Gil Hussla.

Lafferty says as the recession gets worse, she expects more patients to qualify for her discount, but she's promised to honor the deal until the year is over. She says as long as she can keep her employees paid and her doors open, she'll continue to extend help to her patients.

"I always wanted to help people. That's always been my motive. Fortunately this town has been very good to me and I have been able to educate my children and live a decent life, so I would like to give back some of that," said Lafferty.

Some local pharmacies are even taking this a step further by giving uninsured patients discounts on their prescriptions.

Doctor Lafferty says the situation is worse than you may think. She says people are compromising their health in order to pay for other things. She even saw one patient who had pneumonia for two weeks before seeing her.

Lafferty says she hopes her kind gesture will serve as an example to larger hospitals and medical corporations. She says they too should be offering patients discounts as long as these tough economic times continue to last.