Save Time and Money by Knowing All Your Quick Care Options

October 5, 2015

What do you do when you’re sick and your doctor isn’t in? Most people end up spending a fortune on health care by going to the emergency room to get treated when they need care right away. Is that your only option? The answer is no. There are other quick care options that will save you time and money when you cannot make it to your primary care doctor.

Quick Care Options

You’ve got choices! When it’s not an emergency, but you need care now, your NYCDCC Welfare coverage plan, through Empire BlueCross BlueShield, provides you options that can save you a lot of time and plenty of money. As always, selecting an in-network facility can save you money as well.

Some of your quick care options include:

• Urgent care centers: Doctors at these centers treat conditions that should be looked at right away, but aren’t as severe as emergencies. Often, they can do X-rays, lab tests and stitches.
• Retail health clinics: This is a clinic staffed by health care experts who give basic health care services to “walk-in” patients. Most often it is in a major pharmacy or retail store.
• Walk-in doctor’s offices: This type of doctor’s office doesn’t require you to be an existing patient or have an appointment. It handles routine care and common illnesses.

Why not get ready now, just in case?

Sign up and log in at empireblue.com and select Find Urgent Care. You can locate an urgent care facility in your network, find out what care is considered urgent, and even take a quiz to see how to save time and money.

If you’re still not sure what to do, you can call Empire’s 24/7 NurseLine and talk to a nurse.

Call 1-877-TALK-2-RN (1-877-825-5276) and speak with a registered nurse about topics like allergies, fever, types of preventive care and the best place to go for care. Nurses are always there to provide support and peace of mind.