When you show up to urgent care, it usually isn’t a good day. If you walk through the Statcare Urgent Care doors, we know that you’re either feeling sick, pain or a combination of the two. It’s a stressful situation, especially if you’re unsure of what’s wrong with you. At a time of high stress and poor health, the last thing you want to deal with is paperwork and insurance. You also don’t want to be stuck with a high medical bill. Many people avoid going to the doctor for that reason. In fact, almost 1 in 5 Americans go without proper medical care because of the cost. Fortunately, many times, you can get urgent care covered by insurance.
Because it’s impossible to know when you’ll need urgent care, it’s important to gather all the information you can before you need it. Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions about urgent care and insurance. Please note, individual cases may vary. However, this blog will give you a general idea of what you need to know.
Do All Urgent Care Centers Take Insurance?
The short answer is no, not all urgent care centers will take all types of insurance. Many urgent care are not in network with insurance plans. This means that your medical bills might end up being a lot higher than you imagined. Statcare Urgent Care, on the other hand, is listed by all major insurance companies as a participating urgent care center. You can take a look at our insurance page for a complete list of plans we accept. Statcare has been in business 10 years and is an in-network urgent care with all plans.
It’s important to understand your coverage before you need urgent care services. Especially if you don’t know what your medical concern might be, a regular trip to urgent care could turn into a much more expensive visit. With complete knowledge of your insurance plan, you’ll be able to make cost-effective choices about your health care.
How Much Does Urgent Care Cost?
We know that insurance coverage is a major factor when deciding whether to seek medical treatment. We want people to get the best care possible, even if they aren’t insured. It’s why we provide transparent pricing. If you don’t have insurance but need to visit one of our urgent care centers, you’ll be charged $100. Statcare has transparent pricing that you can pay upfront or before you leave the facility so you never have to deal with any bills afterward.
What Services Does Urgent Care Provide?
Urgent care varies from center to center. We pride ourselves on offering a wide variety of services for cost-effective prices, every day of the year. Medical emergencies happen all the time and we want to be there for our communities so they can get the treatment they need.
Our services range from the routine to the specific. Below you will find a list of all the services we offer. If there is a specific service you’re looking for, we suggest checking your insurance plan to make sure they cover it. Knowing what your insurance covers before you arrive prevents any surprise charges or unnecessary paperwork.
- Evaluation and treatment for numerous non-life-threatening conditions and minor injuries
- Rapid strep test
- Sutures/stitches for cuts, wounds, laceration repair
- X-rays
- Casts, splints, crutches
- Vaccines
- Dehydration treatment with IV fluids and IV antibiotics
- Prescription refills and referrals
- TB screening with PPD test, 1 and 2-step PPD testing (Mantoux tuberculosis skin test)
- Burn care, incision and drainage (I and D) of abscesses
- Nebulizer treatment for asthma
- Suboxone therapy
- Blood and urine toxicology screens
- Vitamin B12 injections for vitamin B12 deficiency
- Removal and extraction of foreign body from eyes, ears, nose, and skin, including insect stings
- Blood tests for cholesterol, thyroid, PSA, and more
- Diabetes screening glucose tests
- EKGs, echocardiograms, spirometry for lung function
- Cardiac risk assessment
- Obesity treatment and weight loss
- Blood group testing
Physicals
- FAA pilot flight physicals
- DOT Physicals, DOT card for CDL (Commercial Driver’s License – new and re-certification)
- Sports and Camp Physicals
STD Testing And Treatment
- Confidential STD testing, HIV test, pregnancy test.
Immigration Exams
- USCIS immigration physicals, US immigration medical exam (form I-693), Green Card medical exams by USCIS-certified civil surgeons.
Occupational Medicine
- Occupational medicine for Nassau and Suffolk County Long Island: drug/tox screening, pre-employment physicals, on-the-job injuries, return-to-work physicals, hearing and vision screening, physical therapy and rehabilitation.
When Should I Go to Urgent Care?
When you’re hurt or feel sick, getting healthy feels like an emergency. But when you’re dealing with insurance, the difference between receiving treatment at an urgent care or the emergency room is significant. Generally speaking, visiting an urgent care center will cost much less than if you go to an emergency room. Most plans nowadays have a very high copay and deductible for an emergency room visit especially if you don’t end up requiring to be admitted to the hospital after being seen in the hospital ER. If your insurance plan isn’t comprehensive, or you’re unsure of what it covers, the best bet is to visit an urgent care center first. It is not only a faster way to get medical care, it is also the most cost-effective method to receive high-quality care without the wait of an emergency room. If your health concern requires more attention, the urgent care will recommend an emergency room.
ER Vs. Urgent Care: How To Decide?
To decide whether you should go to an emergency room or urgent care, ask yourself if you would feel comfortable addressing the concern with your primary care doctor. If you think your regular doctor would be able to fix your issue, but it is outside their normal business hours, urgent care is probably the best choice for you. Also, if you need an X-Ray or tests, procedures or have an eye or ENT problem or an injury either from sports, at work or from a car accident, chances are that these are beyond the scope of your regular medical doctor. An urgent care visit would make the most sense. Emergency rooms are for for life-threatening situations and those that require treatment from specialty doctors. With Statcare Urgent Care you get the added convenience of a staff with emergency room experience, without the higher cost. You’re getting the best care at a more affordable cost.
Can I Bring My Child to Urgent Care?
Yes, you can bring your child to an urgent care center. Statcare Urgent Care offers pediatric urgent care services with a staff that specializes in treating young children. If your child is sick or injured, we suggest taking advantage of our pediatric urgent care. We also offer services not usually provided by a regular pediatrician — things like vaccines and a nebulizer for asthma. Plus, we’re open every day of the year, for extended hours. You won’t have to sacrifice a whole workday to get treatment for your kid. You can simply use one of our urgent care locations.
Confirm with your insurance provider that your child is covered for urgent care if you want to avoid the out of pocket cost. But if you need to come in right away, we accept cash or credit card. Our mission is to make treatment during your worst days as convenient as possible.
Does My Insurance Cover Any Urgent Care Alternatives?
If you use Statcare Urgent Care, you have the option of skipping a trip to urgent care altogether and using our Telemedicine service instead. Most insurance providers cover telecare. But, if yours doesn’t, it will only cost you $60 for a single appointment.
What is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine works for patients who feel too sick to make a trip to urgent care but still need to be seen by a doctor and possibly receive a prescription. Each appointment can be made when it is convenient for you, and you will receive the doctor’s full, undivided attention for the entirety of your appointment. The best part is, you won’t have to spend any time in the waiting room worrying about exposure to other illnesses. You can take the appointment in bed, at work or during your commute. As long as you have your smartphone or laptop and a steady wifi connection, you can see a Statcare Urgent Care doctor wherever you want.
What Can’t Telemedicine Help?
Of course, for some of our services, Telemedicine doesn’t work. For example, physical exams, X-rays and vaccines cannot be done electronically. But if you have questions or need a quick prescription for an illness that isn’t life-threatening, Telemedicine might be the best option for you.
Does Insurance Pay For Telemedicine?
Insurance can be tricky, and most patients don’t know who to ask when they have a question about coverage. We want to make access to information about health insurance coverage more convenient and comprehensive. So, we are answering some of the most frequently asked questions. If you have specific questions, we suggest contacting your insurance provider and having one of their knowledgeable staff give you clarification. It’s the best way to avoid extra charges you didn’t plan for.
If you have more general questions about urgent care and insurance, please feel free to contact us at any time.
