When sickness strikes, many people are unsure whether to seek emergency care or visit an urgent care center. In fact, one study conducted by Milliman found that anywhere between 44 to 65% of all emergency room visits could have been treated in an urgent care facility. Considering that, it’s no wonder that research from the Urgent Care Association of America found that 3 million patients visit these locations each week. That being said, it’s understandable that many people will wonder what costs they will incur after visiting one of these locations. It’s understandable to ask yourself how much is an urgent care visit? In this post, you’ll learn more about how much an urgent care visit costs.
Insured vs Non Insured Urgent Care Visits
One of the main factors determining how much an urgent care visit costs is whether or not you have insurance. Both those with and without insurance will likely have to pay out of pocket costs. That being said, these costs are often lower for those with insurance. If you don’t have insurance, you’ll be glad to know that urgent care visits often cost far less than those related to emergency services.
Costs Will Vary Based on Severity of Injury
Another factor that will vary urgent care costs is the severity of your injury. For instance, a quick visit and prescribing antibiotics can take care of certain illnesses. Not everyone visiting an urgent care center will be sick, many patients will receive treatment for injuries. In fact, statistics show that 80% of urgent care centers provide patients with fracture care.
If you’re dealing with a severe problem, you might need to receive x rays. This procedure will raise the cost of your total urgent care bill. In other cases, patients might need to receive certain medical tests. These test will also incur additional fees. However, those with insurance are likely to have all or portions of these fees covered.
Expenses After Your Urgent Care Visit
It makes sense to ask yourself how much is an urgent care visit after you leave the facility? Many patients who are seeking medical treatment at an urgent care facility will need to receive medications. This also is dependent upon whether or not you have insurance that covers prescription costs.
In closing, it makes sense to wonder how much is an urgent care visit? First, you’ll need to pay some type of copay in order to be seen. This payment is made before you can be seen by a medical professional. After this happens, the cost of your visit will be dependent upon several factors. If you need x rays or additional testing conducted, this will incur additional fees. The costs of these fees depend on whether you have insurance or not. Regardless of whether or not you’re insured, seeking treatment at an urgent care facility is often far less expensive than visiting the emergency room.