Why You Should Avoid Freestanding Emergency Rooms

Avoid Freestanding Emergency Rooms (FSERs)

Freestanding ERs are becoming more common across Texas. But what you may not know about them could hurt you — and your wallet. 

Freestanding ERs:

• often look like urgent care centers but include "EMERGENCY" or "ER" in the name

• can cost you hundreds or even thousands more for care because many are out-of-network and have misleading prices
• require you to transfer to a hospital ER if you need actual emergency care or hospital admission, which would increase costs and delay care
• are usually open 24 hours a day, seven days a week while urgent care centers typically close at night
• are stand-alone and not connected to a hospital

Why You Should Avoid Them

The most important reason is that they aren't connected to a hospital.

If you have a true emergency, a freestanding ER must transfer you by ambulance to a hospital for the right level of care. This delays your care, costing you time that may be critical to your recovery. And — in the most extreme cases — your survival.

Using a freestanding ER also impacts how much you pay immediately. But it has long-term effects as well, traced all the way back to your premiums.

When you get higher bills, so does your health plan. As those higher costs add up, TRS claim payments go up. That lowers the TRS fund balance, which is the basis of how we set premiums.

If we avoid these higher costs together, we can keep the fund healthier and contain premium increases as much as we can.

TRS plays a major part in this, too — we constantly monitor claims. For example, through waste detection practices, we saved the plan $20 billion in fiscal year 2021.

If you're enrolled in TRS-ActiveCare, check out How is TRS-ActiveCare Funded? You'll learn more about the cost dynamics of the program.

Making The Right Choice

Hospital ER

In a true health emergency, get immediate care at the nearest hospital ER or call 911.

Symptoms that may require a visit to the ER:

• chest pain
• heart attack
• heavy bleeding
• stroke
• sudden or severe pain
• trouble breathing

If you don't need emergency care, you have choices:

• call your doctor, even after hours or on weekends

• visit an urgent care center
• consider virtual health care
• go to the nearest retail clinic 
  

Urgent Care Clinics

Unless your issue is life-threatening, urgent care clinics are convenient and more affordable than hospital ERs.

They handle problems that aren't emergencies such as:

• a cut that needs stitches
• a sprained ankle, or other sprains
• the flu
• an ear infection
• minor burns

TRS Virtual Health

Through TRS Virtual Health, get low-cost non-emergency care from anywhere. Schedule virtual medical appointments 24 hours a day, seven days a week for things like¹:   

• allergies
• asthma
• blood pressure
• fever, cold, flu

Schedule low-cost virtual mental health appointments through Teladoc for conditions like:

• alcoholism, addiction and substance-related disorders

• attention disorder
• bipolar, schizophrenia and psychotic disorders
• depressive and anxiety disorders
• eating disorders
• personality disorders

Register for TRS Virtual Health today so you're ready when you need an appointment. For information on registering and fees, see:

• TRS-ActiveCare Virtual Health
• TRS-Care Standard Virtual Health
• TRS-Care Medicare Virtual Health Information

Retail Clinics

Retail clinics in stores and pharmacies are an excellent low-cost option for minor, non-emergency health issues when your doctor can't see you. Visit a retail clinic for things like:

• fever, cold, flu
  
• infections
• migraines
• sore or strep throat
  

Be Prepared

Know the location of your nearest in-network health care. Fill out this form and keep it handy so you'll always be ready.

Find a provider at:

BCBSTX TRS-ActiveCare Provider Finder  

BCBSTX TRS-Care Standard Provider Finder

UnitedHealthcare TRS-Care Medicare

¹Teladoc and RediMD are independent companies that contract with TRS to provide telehealth services. Teladoc and RediMD do not provide Blue Cross and Blue Shield products or services and are solely responsible for their operations and contracted providers.

BCBSTX makes no endorsement, representations or warranties regarding third-party vendors and the products and services they offer.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association