Since 2010, for-profit, freestanding emergency rooms have cropped up across Texas. While these healthcare facilities may increase access to medical care, they often come at a much higher cost to patients without their knowledge, according to My San Antonio.
This is because many of these standalone ERs are equipped to address medical emergencies far beyond the typical needs of patients who seek care from urgent care centers. While most patients seek basic medical care at urgent care centers, such as stitches and treatment for a sprained ankle, the flu or ear infection, the costs associated with maintaining the ability to handle catastrophic medical events increases the cost of care all around.
In many cases, patients are surprised with high bills that far surpass the cost of seeking care from a physician's office or urgent care center. This is because freestanding ERs may not contract with patients' insurance companies, resulting in expensive out-of-pocket costs. Another likely scenario is the free-standing ER may say they take a certain insurance plan but leave out the fact that its medical service will likely be considered an out-of-network benefit.