Shop for Plans
Shop for your own coverage
- Medical
- Dental
- Other Supplemental
-
(Cancer Treatment, Hospital Indemnity, and more)
Plans through your employer
- Learn about the medical, dental, pharmacy, behavioral, and voluntary benefits your employer may offer.
- Explore coverage through work
Learn
- How to Buy Health Insurance
- Types of Dental Insurance
- Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment
- See all topics
Looking for Medicare coverage?
- Shop for Medicare plans
Shop for Plans
Shop for Plans
Urgent Care vs. the Emergency Room
What's the difference between the two?
It's important to know where to go when you're dealing with an illness or injury. Let's look at the difference between an urgent care center and an emergency room to help you choose the right care.
If you need immediate medical attention, your first thought may be to go to the Emergency Room (ER). But if your condition isn't serious or life-threatening, you may have a less expensive choice. An urgent care center provides quality care like an ER, but can save you hundreds of dollars.
If you have a life threatening situation, go to your nearest emergency room or call 911.
Urgent Care Centers
Urgent care centers handle non-life-threatening situations, and many are staffed with doctors and nurses who have access to x-rays and labs onsite. Most urgent care centers are open late and on weekends and holidays.
Choosing an urgent care center over the ER can save you time and money.
An urgent care center can treat you for common conditions such as:
- Earaches and infections
- Minor cuts, sprains, and burns
- Fever and flu symptoms
- Cough, cold, and sore throat
- Animal bites
- Mild asthma
- Urinary tract infections
- Headaches
- Back and joint pain
Emergency Rooms
Emergency rooms are meant for true medical emergencies. They can handle trauma, x-rays, surgical procedures, and other life-threatening situations. Most hospitals have an emergency room that's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
An emergency room may be best if you experience:
- Sudden numbness or weakness
- Disorientation or difficulty speaking
- Sudden dizziness or loss of coordination
- Seizure or loss of consciousness
- Shortness of breath or severe asthma attack
- Head injury/major trauma
- Blurry or loss of vision
- Severe cuts or burns
- Heart attack, chest pain, or chest pressure
- Overdose
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Coughing or vomiting blood
- Severe allergic reactions
Tags
Plans may vary. Includes eligible in-network preventive care services. Some preventive care services may not be covered, including most immunizations for travel. Check your plan documents for details about your specific medical plan coverage.
I want to...
Audiences
Manage Your Account
Cigna Healthcare Information
The Cigna Group Information
Disclaimer
Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of The Cigna Group Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT). The Cigna Healthcare name, logo, and other Cigna Healthcare marks are owned by The Cigna Group Intellectual Property, Inc.
All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna Healthcare sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.
La aseguradora publica el formulario traducido para fines informativos y la versión en inglés prevalece para fines de solicitud e interpretación.
The insurer is issuing the translated form on an informational basis and the English version is controlling for the purposes of application and interpretation.