ER access can be billed at $30 to $50 per minute, or more. They are extremely expensive points of care.
UnitedHealthcare’s new policy is “dangerous,” the American Hospital Association says. As many as 1 in 10 claims could be rejected.
Thought does need to be given to which facility to use but this may tough for the public to know when it is appropriate and when not. Difficulty breathing, sudden onset extreme pain, uncontrolled bleeding, chest pains, likely bone fractures, etc, probably count as covered emergencies.
ER’s have access to diagnostic and treatment options not available outside the hospital but their availability is expensive. ERs are extremely expensive points of care. A few hours in the ER might be billed at $5,000 to $10,000.
