ER savings guide

ER Savings Guide

Not many people have a lot of ER experience. This page is designed to help you navigate the ER in the U.S.

A higher ER cost does not mean better care. To compare quality, use the CMS hospital overall rating shown in the comparison tables. Cost differences usually reflect negotiating power between insurers and hospitals, a hospital's own financial position, or the leverage physicians and nurses hold in their contracts.

What happens before, during, and after.

Time cost

The ER triages by risk, not arrival order.

Some symptoms move faster through triage. Less urgent visits depend heavily on the ER's current load.

What to know

Chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathing trouble, or major bleeding may be seen faster.
Ambulance arrivals and patients already inside the ER can change the wait even when the lobby looks quiet.

How to save time

Use the city guides to compare local ER wait time and historical wait time.

Visit cost

One ER visit can turn into multiple bills.

An ER visit usually produces at least two bills: a hospital facility bill and an ER physician or professional bill.

What to know

The ER physician bill is usually paid line by line, based on CPT codes.
The hospital facility bill is more complicated.
- Commercial insurers may pay hospitals in different ways: line by line, one bundled amount for the ER visit, a percentage of billed charges, a per-day rate, or another contract formula. If the patient is admitted to the hospital, the payment may be bundled into the inpatient stay instead of treated as a separate ER visit.
- Medicare usually pays outpatient ER hospital services using formula-based rates, and if the patient is admitted to the hospital, the hospital stay is usually paid as one bundled amount for the inpatient stay.
- Medicaid, CHIP, and state programs vary by state.

How to save money

For self-pay care, check ER cash prices at hospitals in your city.
Avoid unnecessary treatments in the Emergency Department to reduce your cost.
Use FAIR Health or Bill Sherlock to check if your ER bill is reasonable.
Use Dollar For to apply for hospital financial assistance at no cost.

Post-ER follow-up cost

Shop services and protect yourself from price gouging.

After an ER visit, you may need follow-up care like lab work, imaging, specialist visits, or procedures. Each one comes with its own set of bills.

How to save money

Be careful about any follow-up appointment the ER schedules for you. It is convenient, but it may not be in your best interest. The ER often refers you back to its own hospital or an affiliated clinic, where the same service can cost far more than elsewhere.
Imaging: an independent imaging center is often much cheaper than a hospital or hospital-owned imaging center, even with insurance. If using insurance, confirm it is in network.
Labs: Labcorp or Quest are much cheaper than doing labs at the hospital, even with insurance.
Surgery: for scheduled follow-up care, ask for the billing CPT code and a good faith estimate.
- Even if you have insurance, you can choose not to use it for that care and ask for a self-pay good faith estimate.
- If the quote is high, ask the surgeon, "Do you do this same operation at any other facility?" Surgeons often work at multiple hospitals or ambulatory centers. Call the facility and get a quote.
- For inpatient surgery (staying in the hospital over 24 hours), check your insurance policy on inpatient services and whether prior authorization is required. If you decide to use insurance and it requires prior authorization, make sure your doctor's office has gotten it approved before the procedure. Not all offices stay on top of this.

Alternatives to the ER for non-emergency symptoms

For non-emergency symptoms, these options can help you get guidance and decide whether home care, urgent care, or a trip to the ER is the right call.

Call Your Insurer's free 24/7 Nurse Line

Many insurance plans include a free 24/7 nurse line where a registered nurse can help you weigh your symptoms and figure out the right next step.

See major insurance nurse line numbers

Use 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care

24/7 virtual urgent care lets you see a provider from home, often in minutes, without waiting room time or an ER bill. Self-pay rates start as low as $59 per visit, and many plans cover it for free.

See virtual urgent care options