thank goodness for emergency rooms. when a medical emergency strikes you know you can get help no matter the day or time. by law emergency departments must treat you whether you have health insurance or not although you must pay for the care you receive. many of us use the er for illnesses that would be more appropriately treated elsewhere. in fact about 17% of all visits to hospital emergency departments could be treated at retail medical clinics or urgent care centers according to a recent rand corporation study published in the september edition of health affairs. emergency departments are also the most expensive place to get medical care. according to the same rand study $4. 4 billion could be saved each year if people who could got care in other settings. when to visit the er according to the american college of emergency physicians physical signs that should prompt you to head immediately to the er include the following: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure. fainting. sudden dizziness. weakness or change in vision. confusion or change in mental status. sudden severe pain. bleeding that won't stop. severe or persistent vomiting coughing up or vomiting blood. suicidal or homicidal feelings. alternatives to the er if your medical circumstances don't present an immediate threat to your life or limbs there are other less expensive options. retail clinics for example can treat minor cuts burns skin conditions or sinus infections. they are often nurse-run and can be found in drug stores throughout the country. urgent care centers tend to be for middle ground ailments that are too serious for a doctor's office yet don't quite rise to level of emergency. think minor infections strains fractures and lacerations. both clinic types are open seven days a week and have hours that extend longer than most doctors' offices although they are not open 24 hours a day as emergency departments are. saving money by avoiding the er the cost of care at a retail clinic or urgent-care center is considerably cheaper than that provided at in an emergency department without sacrificing quality. both treatment centers accept insurance and co-pays will be considerably less than what you'd be charged for emergency care. the rand study found that retail clinics save patients $279-$460 a visit compared with emergency department costs. and urgent-care center costs average about $125 to $140 as compared with $575 in the er according to doctors express the country's only national urgent-care franchise. where to find help according to urgent care association of america there are currently 8 700 urgent-care centers throughout the united states with approximately 300 new centers opening each year. to find one near you go to the association's web site. for a nearby retail clinic check your local drug stores or other retailers. got a health insurance question? post it below. i'll respond in this blog each thursday to as many of your questions as i can. the opinions expressed in the webmd blogs are of the author and the author alone. they do not reflect the opinions of webmd and they have not been reviewed by a webmd physician or any member of the webmd editorial staff for accuracy balance or objectivity. webmd blogs are not a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis or treatment. never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on webmd. webmd does not endorse any specific product service or treatment. if you think you have a medical emergency call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.
where is the best place to seek affordable emergency care?