Austin, Texas-based St. David's HealthCare is coming under fire for billing urgent care patients with emergency room prices, according to The Statesman.
In the past three years, St. David's has opened four urgent care centers, which are classified as extensions of the ER, or Type B emergency departments. The centers are designed to treat non-emergency conditions, such as cuts, broken bones, migraines and asthma.
The hospital's policy says, similarly to an ER, that patients must pay an ER co-pay and will be billed by the facility and separately by the physician. However, not all patients will face emergency room-high prices. Some insurance policies will process the visit as urgent care, while others will bill it as an ER visit.
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In the past three years, St. David's has opened four urgent care centers, which are classified as extensions of the ER, or Type B emergency departments. The centers are designed to treat non-emergency conditions, such as cuts, broken bones, migraines and asthma.
The hospital's policy says, similarly to an ER, that patients must pay an ER co-pay and will be billed by the facility and separately by the physician. However, not all patients will face emergency room-high prices. Some insurance policies will process the visit as urgent care, while others will bill it as an ER visit.
More Articles on Healthcare Billing:
Federal Command Center Opens for Healthcare Billing Investigations
10 Tools to Bring to an 'Evidence-Based' ASC Payor Contract Negotiation
Mass. Governor Weighs Ambulance Payment Bill