What Is the Cost of an Urgent Care Visit vs ER?

When you visit Catalyst Medical Group’s urgent care facility for a minor burn, the typical out-of-pocket cost ranges from $100 to $300. This fee usually covers your initial evaluation, wound cleaning, basic dressings, and, when needed, prescriptions for topical ointments or pain relief. If you have health insurance, your cost may be even lower depending on your specific plan’s copays and deductibles.

In contrast, treating the same minor burn at a hospital emergency room is generally much more expensive. ER visits for simple burns can cost uninsured patients between $500 and $2,000 or more, due to higher facility fees and additional diagnostic costs. Even with insurance, ER copays and coinsurance typically result in higher out-of-pocket expenses than an urgent care visit at Catalyst Medical Group.

For minor burns that are not severe, do not cover a large area, and do not involve sensitive areas like the face, hands, feet, or genitals, Catalyst Medical Group’s urgent care is a convenient, affordable, and efficient option. Our skilled providers offer prompt treatment to help you heal quickly and comfortably. If a burn is extensive, deep, or accompanied by serious symptoms, we recommend heading directly to the emergency room for specialized care, despite the higher costs.

At Catalyst Medical Group, we prioritize both your health and your peace of mind—including a transparent, patient friendly billing process for urgent care services.

● How Billing Works

When you visit Catalyst Medical Group for urgent care, you’ll benefit from a straightforward and cost-effective billing approach. Our urgent care visits are typically billed as standard office visits, similar to what you’d expect at a primary care provider. This means your visit covers the evaluation by our experienced healthcare team and includes common minor procedures such as stitches, splinting, or basic lab tests.

If you have health insurance, your visit to urgent care is usually classified as an outpatient service. Your insurance will apply a co-pay or deductible, just like a regular doctor’s visit. We work with most major insurance plans and provide clear, itemized statements so you can easily understand the charges.

● How This Differs from Emergency Room Billing

In contrast to urgent care at Catalyst Medical Group, emergency rooms (ERs) have a more complex billing structure. ERs typically charge a much higher facility fee, which covers the round-the-clock availability of specialized staff and equipment—even if your condition isn’t life-threatening. Patients often receive multiple separate bills, including charges for the ER facility, individual physicians, diagnostic imaging, and procedures. Insurance companies process ER visits under emergency services, often resulting in higher co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles. If the ER is out-of-network, you may also face extra charges—a situation known as “balance billing.”

● Why Choose Catalyst Medical Group for Urgent Care?

● Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs: Our urgent care visits are generally less expensive than an ER visit, with fewer separate charges.
● Simpler Billing: We offer clear, itemized bills, making it easy to understand your charges.
● Insurance Friendly: We work with most major insurance carriers and can assist you in understanding your benefits and coverage.
● Convenient, High-Quality Care: Receive prompt attention for non-life-threatening issues without the high costs or complexity of ER billing.

At Catalyst Medical Group, we understand how important it is for our patients to have clear information about the cost of their healthcare. As an urgent care provider, we are committed to offering transparent, upfront pricing for our services—something that sets us apart from many hospitals and emergency rooms. Our mission is to provide immediate, walk-in care for non-life-threatening conditions in a way that is both accessible and affordable, especially for patients without insurance or those looking to avoid high emergency room costs.

We proudly post our prices for common services both online and in our clinics. We offer clear, easy-to-understand lists of costs for visits, diagnostic tests, and treatments, so you know exactly what you will pay before you receive care. This level of transparency is especially valuable for those who are uninsured or have high-deductible insurance plans, helping you make informed decisions about your health.

Unlike hospitals and emergency rooms—which often have complex billing systems and can leave patients uncertain about their final costs—Catalyst Medical Group makes it a priority to communicate fees upfront. While the healthcare industry is starting to move toward more transparent pricing, urgent care centers like Catalyst Medical Group have been leading the way in delivering this clarity and peace of mind to our patients.

We encourage all patients to ask about costs before receiving treatment and to review the pricing information available to avoid any unexpected charges. Our team is always happy to answer your questions and help you understand your options so you can focus on getting the care you need without financial surprises.

If you’re experiencing a high fever but don’t have other severe symptoms—such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe headache, confusion, persistent vomiting, a stiff neck, or a rapidly spreading rash—visiting Catalyst Medical Group’s Urgent Care clinic is typically a more convenient and cost-effective option than going to the emergency room.

Our urgent care team is fully equipped to evaluate, test, and treat most cases of fever, including common illnesses like the flu, minor infections, and viral illnesses. You’ll benefit from prompt attention, shorter wait times, and significantly lower costs compared to an emergency room visit. However, if your fever is extremely high (over 104°F/40°C), persists for more than a few days, or you develop any of the concerning symptoms mentioned above, it’s important to seek emergency medical care right away.

For more information about health and wellness services, contact us or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you in Edinburg, TX, and Mission, TX. We serve patients from Edinburg TX, McAllen TX, San Juan TX, Alamo TX, Pharr TX, Palmhurst TX, Mission TX, Alton TX and Palmview TX.