the Cost of Emergency Medical Procedures

Sometimes I get big pimples, or cysts I guess they're called, under either arm. Usually I can prick them open and drain them myself. However, once in a while they're so deep that I have to go to the emergency room to have them lanced. I don't have insurance and it's gotta be realllly bad for me to go to the emergency room because I know it's going to cost me between $1,200 and $1,500. Sometimes it hurts so bad, it's worth it. I've had to do that twice over the last six or seven years.

I called my family doctor, the only time I seem to need him is when I have a bad cold and over-the-counter medicines aren't working. He usually gives me samples and I only have the cost of his visit.

I called him about this particular cyst because I really couldn't afford the emergency room and I just couldn't stand the pain. I found out that he had recently added a "procedure room" to his office and he could do it right in his office.

It had all the supplies that you normally see in the emergency room.

He lanced the cyst, sent me home with samples of antibiotics and told me come back in four days so he could look at it and check for infection.

He said he started it because so many of his patients don't have insurance, can't afford the emergency room and just go without treatment, then eventually have a more serious problem than what they started with.

If you don't have insurance - check with your family doctor or a walk-in clinic and see if they can provide the service that you would normally need in the ER. Many of these services are becoming more available as there are more and more people without insurance.