Sudden symptoms of a sore throat, cold, or minor injuries may result in a trip to an urgent care, and some people may tend to wonder if they should head to a local urgent care center, make a same day appointment with their primary healthcare physician, or go to the emergency room. Urgent care can be the quickest and most efficient way to get proper care for minor injuries and colds. Prior to paying a visit to your local urgent care, many people wonder if their insurance will cover the visit.

What Does My Insurance Cover At AM/PM Walk-in Urgent Care?

Not all urgent cares are the same and some do not accept all types of health insurance. It is important to understand your coverage before receiving care from an urgent care center. With a thorough understanding of your insurance plan, you will be able to make cost-effective choices in regards to your health care.

At AM/PM Walk-in Urgent Care, we accept most insurance companies which include:

• 1199
• Aetna
• Aetna Better Health
• Amerigroup
• Amerihealth
• Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Horizon NJ Health
• Cigna
• Clover Health
• Coventry
• The Empire Plan
• Emblem Health/GHI (Only if there is a Qualcare logo on the front of the card)
• HIP
• Magnacare
• Medicare
• Motor vehicle insurances
• Worker’s Compensation
• Multiplan
• Oxford
• PHCS
• Tricare
• Qualcare
• United Health Care (except UnitedHealthCare Community Plan)
• Wellcare

If you have any additional questions or want further information regarding your health insurance plans call us at (201) 387-0177 or visit one of our convenient NJ locations.

Is Urgent Care Cheaper Than an ER?

Urgent care is always a more affordable option than ER visits, which can tend to cost nearly $1,000 not including any additional services such as MRIs. If you are in need of urgent medical care but do not feel as if you need a trip to the emergency room, choosing an urgent care is oftentimes the best choice. AM/PM covers almost every type of insurance, making it the most affordable and efficient way to get immediate care. We also offer discounted rates for self pay patients. Regardless of how you choose to pay, you will end up spending a lot less with AM/PM than you would with a visit to the emergency room.

What Services Do Urgent Cares Provide?

The type of services that urgent cares offer varies from center to center. AM/PM offers a variety of healthcare services that can help treat minor injuries and illnesses, as well as wellness/preventative care and vaccinations.

See a full list of services we offer

The basic rule of thumb when deciding on whether or not to visit an urgent care or an ER, is that if the condition is not life threatening, but needs attention and treatment today, head to an urgent care center.

It’s crucial to get healthy as quickly as possible when you are feeling sick or hurt, which is why it is important to know if your insurance is covered by the urgent care, and to be prepared before your visit.

How Much Does Urgent Care Cost Without Insurance?

While we are in network with most of the major insurance companies, we are still able to accommodate those who do not have health insurance. The cost for a visit to an urgent care without insurance at all can vary. At AM/PM, we offer affordable self-pay rates that are available for patients without insurance. Visit one of our locations or contact us today to learn more.

When it comes to a sudden illness or injury, the average person might not be entirely sure whether to visit their local urgent care or take a trip to the emergency room. If you have ever wondered this yourself, you’re not alone. There are some general guidelines you can follow when it comes to deciding whether to visit an urgent care or go to the emergency room. We’ll identify what symptoms or situations to consider in each case.

What is the Difference Between an Urgent Care and the Emergency Room?

One of the reasons that people have trouble deciding between urgent care and the emergency room is because ‘urgent’ and ‘emergency’ both imply there is a medical problem that needs to be addressed right away. However, the level of care provided at an urgent care and an emergency room are much different and it’s important to know the difference.

• Urgent cares or walk-in clinics provide a necessary service for when you become sick or injured, but your primary physician is not available and you cannot wait for an appointment. The medical issues that are treated at urgent care are usually not life threatening.
• A hospital emergency room is able to provide medical care at any time, night or day and is equipped with staff that can treat patients with critical illness or injury. Things like stroke, heart attack or traumatic injuries from a car accident would be reasons to visit the emergency room right away.

When to go to the Emergency Room

The emergency room is where you should go for medical emergencies that require rapid intervention or advanced treatment that can only be done in a hospital setting (such as surgery). Some of the symptoms that would be dealt with best in the emergency room include:

• Chest pain or difficulty breathing
• Weakness/numbness on one side
• Slurred speech
• Fainting/change in mental state
• Serious burns
• Head or eye injury
• Concussion/confusion
• Broken bones and dislocated joints
• Fever with a rash
• Seizures
• Severe cuts that may require stitches
• Facial lacerations
• Severe cold or flu symptoms
• Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy

Don’t go to either an urgent care center or a clinic for these conditions. They will send you to the ER or call 911 for you. If you are in doubt, err on the safe side and head to the nearest hospital.

When to go to Urgent Care

Urgent care centers are same-day clinics that can handle a variety of medical problems that need to be treated right away, but are not considered true emergencies. Symptoms that can be evaluated and treated at an urgent care clinic include:

• Fever without a rash
• Vomiting or persistent diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Wheezing or shortness of breath
• Dehydration
• Moderate flu-like symptoms
• Sprains and strains
• Small cuts that may require stitches
• Pediatric urgent care

When to go to a Walk-in Clinic

Walk-in clinics offer fast, convenient access to medical care, and many walk-in clinics are also urgent care centers. There is a lot of overlap between what ailments can be treated at a walk-in clinic and urgent care center. Walk-in clinics typically address minor conditions such as:

• Painful urination
• Rashes without fever
• Mild flu-like symptoms
• Cough and congestion symptoms
• Sore throat
• Ear pain
• Eye redness, discharge or itchiness

They also provide some other beneficial services, such as sports physical and vaccines. They are a good option for when you are not feeling well, but it’s not serious enough for the emergency room or urgent care.

Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinics are Faster and Cheaper Than the Emergency Room

While the ER can handle just about anything that an urgent care or walk-in clinic can, you will typically spend more time waiting and end up spending way more money. Most urgent cares can have patients out the door within an hour, whereas an emergency room can have you waiting for over an hour or more depending on how serious your condition is. Emergency room visits can also cost over a thousand dollars whereas an urgent care visit will cost only a fraction of that. For these reasons it is important to know which location is best equipped to deal with the specific issue you are facing. Obviously if you are having a true emergency, go to the emergency room right away, but otherwise consider going to the urgent care first. If the urgent care provider thinks you need a higher level of care, they will get you to the ER.