Emergency Room Advice That Can Cut Costs And Benefit Your Health
By Paul Larson
MILLBRAE – Here is more practical advice I discovered at WebMD.com. Below are 5 tips that can be helpful when visiting the Emergency Room (ER) with a serious medical problem:
1. Know When to Seek Emergency Care. Urgent care may be appropriate for some non-emergency illnesses and injuries, but capabilities vary by location. For serious or potentially life-threatening symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care. If you are unsure where to go, contact a medical professional or emergency service for guidance.
2. Be Ready to Answer Questions About Your Health. Whether at an urgent care center or the ER, the doctor treating you will need good info to give you the best care. If possible, be ready to provide your medical history including a list of all meds and supplements you’re taking, any allergies you have, a list of previous stays at the hospital, info on any past surgeries, a list of past or chronic illnesses, health problems that run in your family, vaccines you’ve received. It’s a good idea to store all this info on your cell phone using a medical records app. Or if you prefer, write down your medical info and keep it in a place where you can grab it quickly so you won’t have to try to remember it when you’re sick or hurt.
3. Understand Your Coverage. Emergency-care coverage and billing rules can vary by health plan, provider, and situation. If you have an emergency, seek care without delaying to sort out coverage. For a non-emergency concern, check with your usual doctor or health plan about the most appropriate option and your coverage.
4. Could My Doctor Do This Test Later? You may need a lot of tests while you are in the ER to figure out what’s causing your health problem. This is especially true when you have a medical emergency. But tests done in a hospital can cost a lot more than they would if done elsewhere. If you are able, ask your ER doctor if there’s any risk in putting off tests and scans until you can see your family doctor, who might decide you don’t need them. If you do need them, they’ll likely cost less in a doctor’s office than they will at the ER.
5. Review ER Bills Carefully. Review the bills and explanations of benefits you receive after emergency care. If something is unclear or appears incorrect, contact the provider and your health plan for an explanation.
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