ER Convenience Comes at a Cost

Misuse of emergency rooms (ERs) for non-emergency medical concerns is a big cost driver for our members. The average cost to go to the ER for a non-emergency is around $1,000. Yet 66% of members go to the ER whenever they (or someone they care for) are sick and the doctor’s office is closed. And, 25% believe the best place to go is the ER, regardless of how sick or injured they are, no matter the time of day. This not only costs members more — in terms of both time and money — but also ties up emergency staff unnecessarily. That’s why we’re trying to reduce avoidable ER visits.

 

We offer a broad network of care sites like urgent care, retail health clinics and 24/7 telehealth services such as Virtual Care, Find Care
, 24/7 NurseLine and our online tools are always available to help members find the right care option for their neighborhood.