Freestanding ER, urgent care
or hospital ER?
Texas has more freestanding emergency rooms than almost anywhere. They look like urgent care, but they are emergency rooms, with emergency room bills. I have worked in emergency medicine in Texas for years. Here is what I want my own family to know.
It is a real ER
Freestanding ERs are licensed emergency facilities. Texas rules require a physician on site whenever one is open, and many stay open around the clock.
It bills like an ER
Expect emergency-level facility and physician charges, even for a minor problem an urgent care could treat for far less.
Ask about your network
Texas requires freestanding ERs to tell you whether they are in your plan's network. Ask at the door if it is not an emergency.
Never shop for price in an emergency
Chest pain, stroke signs, trouble breathing, severe bleeding: call 911 or go to the nearest ER. Federal law protects you from most surprise bills for emergency care.
See wait times near you
My free finder shows typical ER visit times for more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals by ZIP code.