Urgent care services are a great option if you’re facing a minor injury but can’t get to the doctor and isn’t serious enough for a trip to the ER. The convenience of urgent care in Philadelphia is unmatched but if you’ve never utilized the services before, it could leave you feeling a bit confused. One of the primary questions people have about using urgent care is the cost. Read on to understand more about the cost related to visiting urgent care in Philadelphia.
What is Urgent Care and How Does it Differ from the ER?
Urgent care is a medical service that features hours outside of normal business hours and treats minor injuries. These facilities are open when doctor’s offices usually aren’t such as on nights, weekends, and some holidays. Minor injuries are those that require attention within 24 hours such as cold and flu, dehydration, urinary tract infection, minor burns, and more.
The major difference between urgent care in Philadelphia and the ER is the type of care provided. While urgent care is only equipped to handle minor injuries, the ER can handle both minor and major injuries. A few examples of major injuries include chest pain, uncontrollable bleeding, pregnancy-related problems, stroke symptoms, and more.
The varying level of care factors into the cost that you will pay at each medical center. ER visits are incredibly costly because they need to employ a broader spectrum of physicians to treat major injuries and the equipment associated with treatments. Urgent care doesn’t have that much of an overhead cost since they only treat minor injuries, which keeps the cost low.
If you are facing a minor injury, it’s best to visit an urgent care clinic. You would pay hundreds more for the same treatment at the ER compared to the same visit at urgent care.
Does Insurance Cover Urgent Care Visits?
In most cases, yes, insurance will cover a visit to urgent care in Philadelphia. How much you will pay depends on your individual health insurance plan. Some plans cover urgent care visits in full, some require a copayment, and others will require you to meet your deductible before covering urgent care costs.
Per the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health insurance plans must cover emergency services. However, not all insurance plans consider urgent care in the same benefit class as an emergency service. Health insurance plans tend to make two distinctions for emergency services related to urgent care:
- Urgent care could be defined as a minor medical condition that requires attention within 24 hours but not immediate medical attention.
- Urgent care may carry a different copay compared to the ER. The copay amount could likely be the same at urgent care as it would be at your doctor’s office.
How Much Does Urgent Care Cost Without Insurance?
Without insurance, urgent care in Philadelphia is a much more affordable option than an ER visit. While the cost ranges between $100$450 on average, the cost varies based on the services provided. For a simple medical issue such as a sore throat, you could pay $100$300 out of pocket on average. A more complex medical issue that could require labs or x-rays could cost $300$450 out of pocket on average.
Another consideration to receiving care at urgent care without insurance is what you will pay for treatment, such as medications. If you don’t have insurance, you will pay out of pocket for any medications which vary based on what you are prescribed.
Pay Based on Treatment
As with most medical services, what you pay is based on the treatment provided to you. Most urgent care facilities house x-ray machines and the means for lab testing and, if your visit requires these services, your visit will cost more. A visit where you speak with a medical professional such as a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner and are given a treatment plan could cost less.
Below are a few examples of non-life-threatening medical issues that can be treated at urgent care:
- Bug stings
- Cold, Flu, or Fever
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea and Vomiting
- Eye irritation or redness
- Mild asthma symptoms
- Minor allergic reactions
- Minor burns
- Nausea
- Skin infections or rashes
- Sore throat or cough
- Sprains
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Conclusion
Overall, visiting urgent care in Philadelphia is an affordable option compared to visiting the ER. It’s a convenient option if you aren’t able to visit your primary care physician and doesn’t come with the added worry of large medical bills. Urgent care centers tend to be very helpful in providing insight into the cost of treatment and care so feel free to use them as a resource as needed.
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