Know where to go, and what it costs.

ER or urgent care?

The signs that mean the ER, what urgent care can handle, and when it can wait.

Do I need stitches? ER or urgent care for a cutWhen a cut needs stitches, how soon to get them, when to go to the ER or call 911, and what urgent care can handle. Cited to MedlinePlus, AAP, ACEP and CDC.Read the guide Stomach pain: ER or urgent care?The stomach pain warning signs that mean the ER or 911, appendicitis signs, and when mild pain can start with a call to your doctor. Cited to MedlinePlus and ACEP.Read the guide Flu: when to go to the ERCDC’s flu emergency warning signs for adults and children, who is at higher risk, when antivirals help, and when an online visit or urgent care fits.Read the guide Kidney stone: when to go to the ERKidney stone symptoms, when the pain means the ER, when to call a provider, and what usually happens next. Cited to MedlinePlus, NIDDK and Cleveland Clinic.Read the guide Child’s fever: when to go to the ERWhen a child’s fever means 911 or the ER, the under-3-months rule, dehydration signs, when to call the pediatrician, and how to take a temperature. Cited to AAP.Read the guide Headache or migraine: when to go to the ERThe headache danger signs that mean 911 or the ER, stroke signs to know, when to see a provider, and when an online visit can help with migraines.Read the guide Back pain: ER or urgent care?The back pain warning signs that need the ER, when to see a provider right away, and why most back pain gets better on its own. Cited to MedlinePlus, NIH and AAOS.Read the guide High blood pressure: when is it an emergency?What to do with a reading over 180/120, the symptoms that mean call 911, what normal blood pressure is, and how to manage it. Cited to the American Heart Association and CDC.Read the guide Diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration: when to go to the ERDehydration signs in adults and children, when vomiting or diarrhea means the ER, when to call a provider, and how to rehydrate. Cited to NIDDK, CDC, AAP and MedlinePlus.Read the guide Broken bone or sprain: ER or urgent care?Signs a bone may be broken, when to call 911 or go to the ER, when urgent care can X-ray and splint it, and first aid for sprains. Cited to MedlinePlus, AAP and AAOS.Read the guide Tooth pain: dentist, urgent care or the ER?When tooth or jaw pain means the ER or 911, what to do for a knocked-out tooth, and why a dentist is usually the right place for a toothache. Cited to ADA, AAE and MedlinePlus.Read the guide Burns: ER or urgent care?Which burns need 911 or the ER, first aid that helps (and what not to do), and when urgent care or home care is enough. Cited to the American Burn Association and MedlinePlus.Read the guide UTI or kidney infection: when to go to the ERThe signs a UTI has reached the kidneys, when it needs the ER, who is at higher risk, and when an online visit may fit a simple bladder infection. Cited to CDC and NIDDK.Read the guide Allergic reaction: when to go to the ERThe signs of anaphylaxis, why to use epinephrine and call 911, why to go to the ER even if you feel better, and how mild reactions and stings are handled. Cited to AAAAI, FARE and ACAAI.Read the guide Chest pain: call 911Heart attack warning signs in men and women, why to call 911 instead of driving, what to know about aspirin, and why chest pain isn’t for urgent care. Cited to AHA, CDC and NHLBI.Read the guide

All “ER or urgent care?” guides

Costs and insurance

What urgent care, the ER and an ambulance cost, with and without insurance.

How much urgent care costsWhat an urgent care visit costs with and without insurance, what tests add, and how it compares with the ER. Every figure cited to FAIR Health, HCCI and KFF.Read the guide How much an ER visit costsWhat an emergency room visit costs with and without insurance, what goes into the bill, and your rights if you can’t pay. Cited to HCCI, KFF, FAIR Health and CMS.Read the guide ER vs urgent care costSide-by-side prices for the ER and urgent care, from claims data: total price and what patients paid for the same diagnosis. Plus when cost shouldn’t decide.Read the guide How much an ambulance costsWhat ground and air ambulance rides cost, why surprise ambulance bills are common, and which protections apply. Cited to HCCI, FAIR Health, GAO and CMS.Read the guide Does insurance cover urgent care?How employer plans, ACA Marketplace plans, Medicare and Medicaid cover urgent care, what you pay, and how emergency care is covered differently. Cited to CMS and KFF.Read the guide

Urgent care for common concerns

What a visit involves, and when an online visit may fit.

Urgent care for a UTICan urgent care treat a UTI? What a visit involves, when an online visit may fit, and the kidney infection signs that need care right away.Read the guide Urgent care for a sinus infectionWhen a sinus infection is worth a visit, what urgent care does, whether you need antibiotics, and when an online visit may fit.Read the guide Urgent care for the fluWhen to see a provider for flu, what urgent care can test and prescribe, why the first two days matter, and the CDC’s emergency warning signs.Read the guide Urgent care for pink eyeCan urgent care treat pink eye? Viral vs bacterial vs allergic pink eye, when you need a provider, when an online visit may fit, and when to go back to work or school.Read the guide Urgent care for strep throatCan urgent care test for strep? How rapid strep tests and throat cultures work, signs it may be a virus instead, and when to get care right away.Read the guide

Local guides

How care works where you live.

Freestanding ER vs urgent care in TexasHow Texas freestanding ERs differ from urgent care, what they cost, and how to tell them apart.Read the guide