'$5 Doctor' Russell Dohner Can Hardly Pay His Nurses, But He Won't Raise His Fee (VIDEO)

The $5 Doctor Can Hardly Pay His Nurses, But He Won't Raise His Fee

The beloved 87-year-old doctor who charges his patients $5 per visit has said in a new interview that he can hardly pay his nurses with what he makes.

Still, Dr. Russell Dohner of Rushville, Ill., says he has no desire to retire or raise his fee.

"I always just wanted to be a doctor to help people with their medical problems and that's all it's for," Dohner told the Associated Press. "It was never intended to make a lot of money."

According to an earlier The Huffington Post report, Dohner has been the town's doctor since 1955. Considered a "local hero," the octogenarian charges his patients just $5 for the entire cost of a physician's visit. He's been charging the low fee since the 1970s.

But the doctor now admits that his inexpensive medical care is taking a toll on the clinic's finances.

"I don't hardly make enough to pay my nurses," he told the Associated Press.

Nonetheless, Dohner -- who works seven days a week and hasn't taken a vacation in more than 50 years -- says that he'll keep trucking on for as long as he can.

"He's one of a kind," one Rushville resident and patient told NBC News.

View the NBC News report below.

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