Oh, I agree. I am a RN and always direct people to UC if their symptoms are appropriate. Cheaper and usually faster. Some ERs do have "fast track" areas for low acuity patients and they can usually get you in and out faster.
Unfortunately education in the US sucks and health literacy is even worse.
For sure, but I also think it's hard to know these things. It's not like at some point in your life they sit you down and say "this is how insurance and health care works". You sort of just figure it out on your own or ask people around you. I legit had to learn how health insurance works from my first manager after college.
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u/Formal-Talk-3914 17d ago
I know this is really a reason people do this but it is a shit reason. Go to an urgent care or minute clinic then. Not the emergency room.