URGENT OR EMERGENCY: It Pays to Know the Difference

Quick! Where would you go if you accidentally cut yourself and needed stitches? If your first thought is the Emergency Department, think again. In an urgent, but not life-threatening situation, an Urgent Care Center can save you money and time.

  • An Emergency Department visit can cost $1,000 or more. An Urgent Care visit costs about $100-$200.
  • The average Emergency Department wait time is 2.4 hours. You can walk in to an Urgent Care Center and see a provider in 15-45 minutes.

Go to an Urgent Care Center for issues that are not considered life-threatening but still require care within 24 hours. For example: cuts that need stitches; strains, sprains, and fractures; eye irritations; fever, flu, vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration; skin rashes, infections, or minor burns.

Call 9-1-1 and go to the nearest Emergency Department for life-threatening issues. For example: heart attack or stroke symptoms; convulsions, seizures, or loss of consciousness; heavy, uncontrollable bleeding; poisoning; serious head, neck, or back injury; severe allergic reactions; or pregnancy-related problems.

Not sure where to go? Call your Plan’s Nurse Line 24/7 for help determining the best type of care:

  • Kaiser Permanente: 800-813-2000
  • Cigna 855-673-306

Tip: Search your Plan’s website for your nearest in-network Urgent Care Center and hospital Emergency Department. Then save them (plus the Nurse Line) as contacts on your phone, so you’ll know where to go the next time you or a family member needs care in a hurry.

Resources

IN YOUR POCKET: Reduce Health Care Expenses and Save

These days, everyone is looking to save money. Here are a few ways you can reduce your out-of-pocket spending on health care services right now:

  • Get preventive care. You pay $0 (no copay, no deductible) for recommended screenings. When you catch serious conditions early, you’ll save money by avoiding expensive care later.
  • Use virtual care. Depending on your Health Plan, you may be able to have a virtual visit with a doctor or therapist at no cost to you. Learn more here.
  • Try mail order prescriptions. You’ll save money and time by getting medications you take on an ongoing basis conveniently delivered to your home. Get started here.
  • Use in-network providers. Avoid costly “balance billing,” which is when you have to pay a billed amount that exceeds your Health Plan’s allowed amount. Here’s how to keep more money in your pocket.
  • Make lifelong healthy habits. Managing your weight and being active reduces your risk for costly chronic conditions. See how your Health Plan helps: KP Members | Cigna Members

AND CHECK THIS OUT! As a member, you have access to exclusive discounts of up to 25% on a variety of health and wellness products and services.

YOU’RE NOT ALONE: More Than 80% of Americans Are Feeling Stressed

The 2022 “Stress in America” poll by American Psychological Association identifies several issues that are generating more stress in Americans than ever:

  • The rising cost of day-to-day necessities like groceries, gas, and rent
  • The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • The increasing frequency of mass shootings in America
  • The continuing COVID-19 pandemic

While these issues are out of your control, how you respond to them is IN your control. You can learn to manage stress, even in these trying times. And your benefits can help. Get started with these videos and infographics in the SD-1 Health Trust online library:

  • How Resilient Are You? Learn three ways to reduce stress in your life and increase your resilience.
  • Whole Body Wellness: Discover the many ways your benefits can help you improve your physical and mental health—and enjoy a greater sense of well-being.
  • You Have Options for mental wellness care (and self-care tools) through your Health Plan and the Employee Assistance Program.
  • Your Mental Health Matters, Too! See how your benefits cover mental wellness care.

Find more wellness resources on the Trust website. Go to sdtrust.com, then search or scroll:

  • Click on the Search tool (top right corner), type a topic (like “mental health”), then hit enter.
  • Click Menu, then Blog, then Articles, Videos & Infographics. Scroll the list (sorted by most recently added) to find a virtual library of resources to help you make the most of your benefits.
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