Is it even possible to save money when you are in the Emergency Room? Emergency Rooms operate under the notion that you would want everything done to save your life, hang the cost. This is not a bad assumption, but is that an excuse to run every test under the sun? Bottom line is: It is possible to save yourself some expense, but maybe less than you are hoping for.
Staying out of the Emergency Room is the only way to truly save money. Having a good relationship with a direct primary care practice where you can get not just preventive care, but also timely and appropriate care for urgent issues is critical to staying out of the Emergency Room. Early treatment for many conditions will turn the corner for the illness from serious to manageable. But things happen and it isn’t always possible to avoid the Emergency Room. If you find yourself in need of emergency services, then you should be in the Emergency Room.
If you need to go to the Emergency Room, and it is safe to do so, taking yourself in by private car is free. Going by ambulance is very expensive. These heroes are called in when something bad has happened to us. There are different levels of response. When the call goes out, there is no way to ask them to send the least expensive option. They will send what is thought to be required for the situation as described to the dispatcher. It just ...
