Going to urgent care without insurance

Ask what the advertised price actually includes

Tell the center you are uninsured or will not submit the visit to insurance. Ask for the self-pay price for the level of visit you may need and whether payment is due at check-in. Then ask what could be billed separately: X-rays, laboratory tests, medication, injections, splints, supplies, procedures, or a clinician bill from another organization.

Also ask whether the center can evaluate your concern, whether it has on-site imaging or testing, and what happens if it sends you to an emergency department. An urgent care payment usually does not cover a later hospital visit. Do not ask front-desk staff to diagnose symptoms by phone; ask whether the service is available and follow clinical triage instructions.

Request a written Good Faith Estimate

Under federal rules, a provider or facility generally must give an uninsured or self-pay patient a Good Faith Estimate when care is scheduled at least three business days ahead or when the patient asks for one. The estimate should describe expected items or services and charges. It is not a guarantee, and it is generally not provided during emergency care.

Keep the written estimate. CMS says the federal patient-provider dispute process may be available if the final bill from that provider or facility is at least $400 higher than its estimate. The dispute generally must be started within 120 calendar days of the initial bill. Read the current CMS instructions before relying on a deadline.

• CMS: bill rights when not using insurance

Use this price call script

‘I will be self-pay and am not using insurance. What is the expected price for the visit, and what services are excluded? What could an X-ray, common lab test, procedure, or supply add? Is there a prompt-pay discount or financial-assistance policy? Can you send me a written Good Faith Estimate before I come in?’

Write down the center's legal name, address, representative, date, quoted range, payment terms, and exclusions. Compare the same questions at another appropriate center if time and symptoms safely allow. A low base price can be misleading when tests or separate professional charges are added.

Consider a health center for non-emergency care

HRSA-funded health centers serve people with or without insurance and adjust fees based on income and family size. They can provide primary care and other services; some offer same-day access, but services and hours vary by site. Call the location to ask about availability, documents for a sliding-fee application, and expected charges.

A health center is not a substitute for emergency care. Hospital emergency departments covered by EMTALA must offer an appropriate medical screening examination and stabilizing treatment for an emergency medical condition without denying that screening because of insurance or ability to pay. EMTALA does not make the care free; bills and financial-assistance options may follow.

• HRSA Find a Health Center
• CMS: emergency room rights under EMTALA