Emergency Room Costs

The average cost for the use of the emergency room in a hospital today is roughly $400. This does not include the additional tests, blood work, and x-rays that are typically included in an average emergency room visit.

More than 100 million people visit the ER every year, and almost half of those visits are classified as non-urgent cases that could have been treated in a doctor's office (a doctor's office visit averages about $60). Visiting the emergency room, one of the most expensive units in the hospital, for a non-emergency not only takes doctors and nurses away from actual emergencies, but also makes the patient end up paying up to ten times more than they would have at a doctor's office. It's a cycle that keeps insurance premiums high as well as ER costs. In addition, the average wait time of an emergency room is two hours, while the average wait time in the doctor's office is 45 minutes.

When Should I Go to the Emergency Room?
The emergency room is a great resource for people who actually have an emergency. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Situations in which a person should visit the emergency room include:
Signs of a heart attack that last more than two minutes. These include chest pains, arm and jaw pain.
Signs of stroke. These include numbness in any part of the body.
Severe shortness of breath.
Bleeding from an artery that comes in spurts or bleeding that won't stop after 10 minutes of direct pressure
Ingesting poisonous substances
Complicated fractures
A major injury to the head
Coughing up or vomiting blood
Suicidal or homicidal feelings
When Should I Not Go to the Emergency Room?
Many times, what you think might be an emergency is not an actual life-threatening situation and can be treated at a doctor's office or even an urgent care facility. An urgent care facility is not open 24 hours, but they do have extended hours in the event that you can't get to a doctor. Some examples of situations that don't require an emergency include:
Earache.
Minor cuts or animal bites in which the bleeding is controlled.
A broken bone. This is only if you call your doctor and he can treat you the same day. If the bone is showing or the limb looks deformed, then you should go to the ER.
A sprain.
A skin rash.
Fevers (if you experience a convulsion, you should go to the ER).
Coughs and sore throats.

How Can I Cut Costs?
If you do have to go to the Emergency Room or visit the hospital, there are several ways you can go about cutting costs and saving time.
If you're having surgery, save on an extra night's stay (which can be over $500) by checking in the same day as your surgery. In addition, if you're having a procedure done, wait until a weekday, as most non-emergency procedures are done during a regular work week.
When you receive your bill, go over it carefully. Make sure the dates are correct and verify you actually received the services you're being charged for. If any charges as noted as "miscellaneous," ask about them. If you notice discrepancies or have questions, the hospital's accounting office or the number on the bill can help.