the Cost of Emergency Room Visits for Injuries

My son had cut his forehead playing around on the furniture. He was taken in and evaluated for concussion, etc...and of course the wound was taken care of. He did not need stitches, and was relieved to have his wound glued shut instead.

We arrived, and were evaluated quickly. Our information was taken after they had determined that our son did not need to be seen immediately. After filling out the paper work the the wait was not very long. The nurses and doctors on hand were very friendly, and also very reassuring to our son who has a problem with needles. They walked him through every step of the process, even letting him watch what was going on with a mirror. They also kept us informed of all options and procedures that were going on. After the procedure, there was only a short wait for them to be sure that the glue was holding, and that our son didn't have any further complications from hitting his head.

The billing part of the process was also very easy. They took our insurance information, and did not require the co-pay at the time of service which was a welcome sign at that time.

I would recommend that everyone check their insurance policies in regards to co-pays and deductibles in regards to emergency services. Also, keep abreast of what area hospitals and doctors are in your plan and/or at the preferred level of coverage. That's not something that you want to take the time for, or worry about, when you're dealing with an emergency medical situation.

While at the ER, make sure that you understand everything that is going on as well. They're working on you (or someone you love), and you have every right to know and understand exactly what is happing.