Freestanding ERs Are Trying to Make a Killing on COVID-19 Tests

A couple of years ago, stories of patients getting surprise bills from freestanding emergency rooms—often based on the mistaken presumption that they had actually visited an urgent care center—ran rampant. Legislation in various states reduced the risk of that happening, and urgent care centers did their part by taking great pains to differentiate themselves from freestanding ERs. However, now that COVID-19 testing has become both common and urgently necessary, patients are again getting stung by bills that are not only unexpected, but higher than they think is reasonable. An article published recently by the Texas Tribune, for example, recounted how one couple got soaked for nearly $2,000 after being lured to a freestanding ER whose signage promised quick turnaround after a drive-through PCR test. They claim they had been told at the testing site that they “probably wouldn’t have to pay anything out of pocket.” The results were delivered as promised, but a couple of weeks later the bill arrived. While this clearly has nothing to do with how an urgent care center operates, it’s essential that patients understand that. Do what you can to be transparent about fees, insurance, and billing processes. Stress “urgent care” in your marketing messages.