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The ER is only for emERgencies
Right care. Right place.
IT’S A FACT:
6 out of 10 emergency room visits by PepsiCo medical
plan participants are for low-intensity ailments. These visits cost a lot more
money and time. Emergency rooms are a valuable resource to all of us—and should be used
when needed, for things like a heart attack, stroke symptoms, inability to breathe, head or eye
injuries, or broken bones. But where should you go for less-serious conditions?
Urgent care centers are a great alternative for issues that aren’t life-threatening but still need to be addressed
right away. Let’s say your daughter sprains her ankle. If you take her to the ER, it could cost more than $500. On the
other hand, you could go to an urgent care center for less than $200. And you’d get high-quality care in a fraction of
the time. Don’t forget that the Healthy Advantage and Core Plus Options both cover only 50% (after the deductible)
of the cost of non-emergencies treated in the ER; you pay the balance. Also, under the Core Plus Option, if you go to
the ER but aren’t admitted to the hospital, you pay an extra $100 (or more) copayment.
Save Money
Low-Intensity
Ailments
Save Time
Approximate Cost
Urgent Care
Center
ER
Sprains
$189
$510
Allergies
$174
$600
Acute bronchitis
$185
$722
Earache
$80
$466
Pink eye
$183
$432
Sore throat
$178
$656
Urinary infection
$159
$680
Source: Anthem. Averages based on actual PepsiCo claims data.
Average Time Spent
Urgent Care Center
ER
Less than
an hour
2 to 4+
hours
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Right price.
TIP: Locate an in-network urgent care facility now so you’re ready if and when you need
care! Call Health ACE, or search for facilities online (anthem.com or myuhc.com).
Don’t Forget These Options
The following can also be time- and cost-effective ER alternatives for low-intensity ailments:
1. DOCTOR’S OFFICE: During normal business hours, your best bet is to visit your primary care physician.
And, if you’re in a location with an Employee Health and Wellness Center, visit your Johns Hopkins provider.
2. TELADOC: Connect by phone or online video to a network of U.S. board-certified doctors and pediatricians
who can diagnose and write prescriptions for certain conditions—24/7, 365 days a year. Register in advance
at teladoc.com/pepsico or 1-800-Teladoc (1-800-835-2362).
3. N URSELINE: Speak with a registered nurse about your symptoms; medications and side effects; when to go
to the doctor, urgent care facility or emergency room; and other health-related issues—24/7, 365 days a year.
Anthem BCBS members, call 1-877-224-0030. UnitedHealthcare members, call 1-888-761-0113.
IMPORTANT: If you have a severe or life-threatening condition, always call 9-1-1 or go to
the emergency room immediately.