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Urgent Care Centers or Freestanding ERsUrgent care centers and freestanding ERs can be hard to tell apart. Freestanding ERs often look like urgent care centers and treat most major injuries, except for trauma%u2014but costs are higher. Unlike urgent care centers, freestanding ERs are often out of network and can charge patients up to 10 times more for the same services. Here%u2019s how to know if you%u2019re at a freestanding ER.Freestanding ERs:%u2022 look like urgent care centers, but have the word %u201cEmergency%u201d or %u201cER%u201d in their name or on the building%u2022 are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week%u2022 aren%u2019t attached to and may not be affiliated with a hospital%u2022 are subject to an ER cost share, which may include a copay, coinsurance and applicable deductibleNeed help knowing where to go?Call a PHG at 1-866-355-5999 or the 24/7 Nurseline at 1-833-968-1770. You can also go towww.bcbstx.com/trsactivecare/doctors-and-hospitals/where-to-go-for-care. If you need emergency care, call 911 or get help from any doctor or hospital right away.The information provided is not intended as medical advice, nor meant to be a substitute for the individual medical judgment of a doctor or other health care professional. Please check with your doctor for advice. Coverage may vary depending on your specific benefit plan and use of network providers. For questions, please call a Personal Health Guide at 1-866-355-5999. This information is intended solely as a general guide to what services may be available. When you use in-network labs, imaging centers and surgical centers, you can get the same quality care you%u2019d get in hospitals and at your doctor%u2019s office for a lot less.Choose an in-network independent lab for routine lab work and comprehensive blood panels.Lab work at an in-network hospital can cost nearly five times more than at an independent lab. An out-of-network lab or hospital will cost even more.Independent LaboratoriesIn-network lab:In-network hospital:Out-of-network lab/hospital:You have options for X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. An in-network, imaging center can save you money. One study showed an MRI performed at an in-network hospital was nearly three times more expensive than the same test at a freestanding imaging clinic and nearly five times more at an out-of-network imaging center or hospital. Imaging CenterIn-network imaging center:In-network hospital:Out-of-network imaging center/hospital:You may think of surgery as something that only happens in the hospital, but offsite surgical centers offer the same quality care at a lower price.Surgery performed at an in-network hospital can cost nearly three times more than the same procedure at a surgical center and almost seven times more at an out-of-network hospital.Surgical CentersIn-network surgical center:In-network hospital:Out-of-network surgical center/hospital: %uf0a3%uf0a3 %uf0a3www.bcbstx.com/trsactivecare 49