Newton Medical Center in Covington, Ga., will now charge a $150 fee for uninsured emergency department patients who do not have an emergency, according to a WSBTV report.
Patients with insurance will continue to pay a co-pay or deductible.
The new policy aims to reduce the number of ED patients and cut the wait time in half. Hospital officials estimate 25 percent of its 50,000 annual ED patients do not have an urgent condition, according to the report. The most common non-emergency complaints at the hospital's ED are tooth aches, sore throats and fevers, according to the report.
Newton Medical Center is providing a community resource guide to patients seeking care for a non-emergency, and are working with primary care physicians who agreed to see uninsured patients with non-emergencies at a lower cost.
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Patients with insurance will continue to pay a co-pay or deductible.
The new policy aims to reduce the number of ED patients and cut the wait time in half. Hospital officials estimate 25 percent of its 50,000 annual ED patients do not have an urgent condition, according to the report. The most common non-emergency complaints at the hospital's ED are tooth aches, sore throats and fevers, according to the report.
Newton Medical Center is providing a community resource guide to patients seeking care for a non-emergency, and are working with primary care physicians who agreed to see uninsured patients with non-emergencies at a lower cost.
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