Is Urgent Care Right for Me?

Before you and your family choose urgent care for your next medical treatment, you should consider if it is right for you. Here are the basic facts about urgent care that you should know.

Urgent Care Services

The services offered at each urgent care center might vary. While every center is equipped to handle routine influenza immunizations and fever, not everyone is prepared to deal with broken bones. Here are the services you can count on from any urgent care location:

Influenza immunization (flu shot)
Influenza (flu) treatment
Fever treatment
Food sickness
Cold treatment
Annual physicals and school physical

By calling an urgent care center or checking its website you can find out if it offers these additional services:

MRIs
X-rays
Immunizations for international travel

Urgent Care Pricing

Urgent care centers set prices by location, so one might offer appointments for $70 while another just a block away offers a visit for $170. On average, a walk-in appointment will cost $71-125. However, additional services such as x-rays, immunizations, and medication cost extra.

Uninsured patients may ask doctors for generic medications, which will greatly reduce their cost. Furthermore, if an uninsured patient lets the medical staff know about his or her situation, they might be able to offer a discount or reduced fee.

Insurance and Urgent Care

Most insurance providers cover urgent care. However, there might be a location that does not accept your specific insurance. It is always best to ask before you receive service, so that there is no surprise at the end of the visit. Be prepared with your insurance card and the amount of your co-payment. Insured patients must pay the full urgent care co-pay at time of service, and uninsured patients must pay in full.

Choosing urgent care centers requires an understanding of what services they offer, and which services are unavailable. Hopefully, with the information found in this article, you will be prepared to make your choice the next time you and your family need medical care.