How do you find an urgent care center? Knowing the difference
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Urgent and Emergency Care Alliance keeps you prepared for the unexpected Dealing with an urgent or emergency situation is never something you want to go through. But knowing where to go for care before something happens is important. With our coverage, you can quickly take care of any health issue that may come up. That means you can get back home fast and enjoy living your life. What is an urgent medical condition? What should you do? An urgent condition isn’t life threatening but may need prompt attention. Urgent care is for an illness, injury or condition serious enough that a reasonable person would seek care right away but not severe enough to need emergency care. Examples of an urgent condition are: • Sprained ankle • Minor burn • Flu The first and best course of action for urgent conditions is to call your doctor’s office. Your doctor may be able to treat the condition. When you call, make sure you ask for a same- or next-day appointment because your doctor has time set aside for these situations. If your doctor doesn’t have any appointments available, go to one of our urgent care centers. Knowing the difference between urgent and emergency conditions. It’s important to know the difference between the two conditions so that you can figure out where and how to get the right care at the right time. This makes sure that you save out-of-pocket expenses and that you are treated quickly based on your condition. Rely on your doctor for urgent and emergency care. Your doctor is your partner in routine and preventive care. He or she also has a vital role in urgent and emergency care. This role starts before the need for either type of care comes about. Talk to your doctor, and ask these questions about urgent and emergency care: • How to get help when the office is closed • Important telephone numbers to reach them • When and when not to use the emergency room Make sure you call your doctor after receiving urgent or emergency care. Even if you’re out of town, follow-up care for these conditions should be arranged by your doctor. How do you find an urgent care center? Log on to hap.org and select “Find a Doctor/ Facility.” Then search by Urgent Care. Our website is updated every week. If you don’t have Internet access, call Client Services at (313) 664-7010 or toll-free at (888) 999-4347. We can look up the center closest to you or send a provider directory out. What is an emergency condition? What should you do? An emergency condition is an illness, injury, symptom or condition so serious that a reasonable person would seek care right away to avoid serious harm. In an emergency situation, such as a heart attack, make sure you go to the nearest emergency facility or call 911 for help. You have full coverage for hospital admission 24/7. What if I’m admitted to a hospital that is not affiliated with Alliance? If you have an emergency condition and are admitted to the hospital, whether it is affiliated with us or not, you or your designee must call us within 48 hours at the number on the back of your ID card. If we aren’t notified of an admission, it could result in the denial of any claims for the services you received. In the case of a hospital not affiliated with us, we will call the doctor treating you to evaluate your condition and the treatment plan. When it is safe to do so, the doctor may arrange to transfer you to an affiliated hospital.
Transcript of How do you find an urgent care center? Knowing the difference
Urgent and Emergency CareAlliance keeps you prepared for the unexpected
Dealing with an urgent or emergency situation is never something you want to go through. But knowing where to go for care before something happens is important. With our coverage, you can quickly take care of any health issue that may come up. That means you can get back home fast and enjoy living your life.
What is an urgent medical condition? What should you do?
An urgent condition isn’t life threatening but may need prompt attention. Urgent care is for an illness, injury or condition serious enough that a reasonable person would seek care right away but not severe enough to need emergency care. Examples of an urgent condition are:
• Sprained ankle• Minor burn• Flu
The first and best course of action for urgent conditions is to call your doctor’s office. Your doctor may be able to treat the condition. When you call, make sure you ask for a same- or next-day appointment because your doctor has time set aside for these situations. If your doctor doesn’t have any appointments available, go to one of our urgent care centers.
Knowing the difference between urgent and emergency conditions.
It’s important to know the difference between the two conditions so that you can figure out where and how to get the right care at the right time. This makes sure that you save out-of-pocket expenses and that you are treated quickly based on your condition.
Rely on your doctor for urgent and emergency care.
Your doctor is your partner in routine and preventive care. He or she also has a vital role in urgent and emergency care. This role starts before the need for either type of care comes about. Talk to your doctor, and ask these questions about urgent and emergency care:
• How to get help when the office is closed• Important telephone numbers to reach them• When and when not to use the emergency room
Make sure you call your doctor after receiving urgent or emergency care. Even if you’re out of town, follow-up care for these conditions should be arranged by your doctor.
How do you find an urgent care center?
Log on to hap.org and select “Find a Doctor/Facility.” Then search by Urgent Care. Our website is updated every week. If you don’t have Internet access, call Client Services at (313) 664-7010 or toll-free at (888) 999-4347. We can look up the center closest to you or send a provider directory out.
What is an emergency condition? What should you do?
An emergency condition is an illness, injury, symptom or condition so serious that a reasonable person would seek care right away to avoid serious harm. In an emergency situation, such as a heart attack, make sure you go to the nearest emergency facility or call 911 for help. You have full coverage for hospital admission 24/7.
What if I’m admitted to a hospital that is not affiliated with Alliance?
If you have an emergency condition and are admitted to the hospital, whether it is affiliated with us or not, you or your designee must call us within 48 hours at the number on the back of your ID card. If we aren’t notified of an admission, it could result in the denial of any claims for the services you received.
In the case of a hospital not affiliated with us, we will call the doctor treating you to evaluate your condition and the treatment plan. When it is safe to do so, the doctor may arrange to transfer you to an affiliated hospital.
If you have any questions about urgent or emergency care, please call Client Services. We’re here to help you Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, (313) 664-7010 or toll-free (888) 999-4347. If you are hearing or speaking impaired, use our TDD line toll-free at (800) 956-4325.
What should I do when I’m traveling?
You have worldwide health care coverage for medical emergencies, accidental injuries and urgent care. The back of your ID card has information to help you find providers for urgent or emergency services if you are out of our service area. Check out our website for a list of affiliated sites in the area where you are traveling. You can always call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you do visit an emergency room out of the service area, you may be required to pay at the time of service. The reimbursement process is the same as listed in the previous column.
Our members can travel worry-free, knowing they can call on Assist America. This service helps with emergencies when members are over 100 miles away from home or in another country.
Some of the global emergency services Assist America offers are:
• Hospital admission guarantee• Emergency trauma counseling• Emergency medical evacuation• Lost prescriptions• Lost luggage • Document translation help and much more.
The call center is fully staffed 24/7.
If a hospital not affiliated with us requires payment at the time of service for covered benefits, Alliance will reimburse you. After payment, mail an itemized bill and proof of payment to the following address for reimbursement:
Alliance Health and Life Insurance CompanyAttn: Member Reimbursement2850 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48202
Please write your ID number on all bills and correspondence.
Health Alliance Plan
Subsidiaries:Alliance Health and Life Insurance CompanyHAP Preferred Inc.
hap.org
© 2012 Health Alliance Plan of Michigan A Nonprofit Company 2.5M 335 12/12
