An urgent care center is a place that anyone can go for immediate treatment of minor injuries. Most people visit urgent care centers for cuts, fractures, burns, sore throats or infections. If the patient’s condition requires more treatment than the urgent care center can provide, he or she will be sent to a hospital emergency room or a provider’s office. For those without insurance, it will come as good news to know that they can visit urgent care with no insurance.
CAN I VISIT AN URGENT CARE CENTER WITH NO INSURANCE?
It is advisable for anyone with an urgent need to visit urgent care with no insurance. Urgent care centers generally do not cost as much as hospital emergency rooms, although they do charge fees for their services. In most places, a basic urgent care center visit may cost around $100. However, if more treatment is necessary or if the provider or PA prescribes medication the cost may be higher.
Prescription medication, however, is not included in the charges of an urgent care center, so those with no insurance may have to pay out of pocket at the pharmacy. In some cases, the providers at an urgent care center may be able to give out minimal amounts of a medication in the form of samples, but many providers are now discouraged from doing this in order to save samples for patients during visits to the center itself. Generic prescriptions may reduce the cost of medication for patients without insurance.
HOW CAN I LOWER MY MEDICAL BILLS?
Using an urgent care center is a wise choice if the patient’s condition can be treated at one of these facilities. Urgent care centers overall cost much less than comparable hospital emergency room or providers’ office visits.
There are steps a person without insurance can take to lower medical bills. These include:
TALK TO YOUR provider
Most providers understand that medical bills are difficult to pay without insurance. Your provider may be able to forego some tests or combine treatments to lower your costs.
SEEK OUT LOW-COST INSURANCE ALTERNATIVES
Insurance alternatives are available to those with very low incomes. Medicaid provides healthcare for those with limited income, and many states sponsor state health care that will pay for the majority of providers’ visits and medications. If a patient does not qualify for federal or state aid, a major medical policy to cover hospital visits is a good option and can often be supplemented with add-ons at a low price to pay for some medical treatments.
SHOP AROUND
Urgent care centers are a good choice when a patient has a minor complaint but needs to see a provider right away. Affordable and handy, urgent care centers offer basic medical service at a much cheaper rate than other facilities, even without insurance.
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