Need Stitches? Save Money on Emergency Room Co-Pays with Urgent Care

A few short months ago, our health insurance changed the amount for our co-pay for a trip to the emergency room from $100 to $500. Since that time, I know of at least a few folks who have needed medical care who were concerned about the fees for the co-pay. Here's what we learned with an instance for my family that can help you save money.

All insurance companies are different and each policy is different, so be certain to check out your policy carefully. Call and ask questions from your employer, look at your card for information, contact the insurer directly, or whatever you can do to find out exactly what to expect before a medical need arises in your family.

My son recently cut his knee and the pediatrician recommended sutures to take care of the wound. Since they were not able to perform that procedure at their office, we were told to head to the emergency room of the local hospital. Immediately we knew we were facing a $500 bill just for walking through the door to the ER, but if that's what my son needed, then by all means that was where we would go. Upon discussion with the pediatrician and her staff, we learned that the local Urgent Care facility was well equipped to handle this type of situation. My son could be treated at the local Urgent Care and get stitches with no compromise to the service, but our co-pay would be dramatically lower.

The Urgent Care in my area can handle basic sutures, X-rays, and even dislocated joints in some cases. If you are not suffering from a severe injury, you may want to consider a visit to the local Urgent Care as an alternative to the emergency room. In my personal situation, the co-pay was only $40 which is a tiny fraction of the $500 I would have paid at the ER. My son received fabulous service, excellent care, and the staff was both thoughtful and professional. Any follow-up visits are covered under the same co-pay so there is no additional cost to have the stitches removed. In some cases, the trip to the emergency room for sutures leaves the patient paying the high co-pay and an additional fee to the primary care physician ten days later to remove the sutures.

When a medical emergency comes up it is imperative that you seek the proper care for the patient at any and all costs, but knowing in advance the fees for services can save you some money along the way in certain situations. A trip to the local Urgent Care can save you money when compared to the co-pay you would face at the emergency room.