ER or Urgent Care? What You Need to Know
When a health care need arises, you have more choices than just the emergency room (ER) – and some options are less costly!
According to a recent study by Health Services Research, around 137 million people in the United States visit a hospital ER every year. It is estimated that as many as half of these people could have been treated just as well at a different type of facility.
The cost of an ER visit can be expensive, especially when the condition could have been managed for less cost at an Urgent Care or office visit. In certain situations, telemedicine or a virtual office visit may also be a viable and cost-saving option.
These alternative centers can treat conditions that should be looked at right away but aren’t as severe as emergencies. These conditions include sprains and strains, animal bites, minor headaches, or coughs. Click the link below for more information about how to decide when to choose urgent care.
For a list of urgent care centers and retail walk-in clinics near you, contact Anthem customer service at 844.995.1751 or call the 24-hour Anthem NurseLine at 800.337.4770. Don’t forget, you can schedule a virtual care appointment or use the interactive chat feature to get quick answers through the Sydney app.
Your costs vary depending on your medical plan and the site of care. Click on the links below for examples of the difference in cost based on each Lutheran Senior Services Medical Plan.
CDHP Gold PPO Silver PPO Bronze PPO
Always remember the “ER Rule” though: Call 911 or go directly to an ER if you think you could put your health at serious risk by delaying care. Your health is the top priority!