Allergy Sufferers Can Save Money by Skipping the ER and Heading to Urgent Care and Retail Health Clinics for Relief

Allergy Sufferers Can Save Money by Skipping the ER and Heading to
Urgent Care and Retail Health Clinics for Relief

PR Newswire — May 7, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS, May 7 /PRNewswire/ — In this economy, allergy sufferers are
looking for relief from more than sneezing, runny noses, and itchy eyes. And,
according to a recent study, they can find relief for both their symptoms and
their wallets, saving anywhere from $50 to $400 in out-of-pocket costs* per
visit if they skip the emergency room and head to urgent care and retail health
clinics when they are unable to see their primary physician.

“When possible, we recommend that our members visit their primary care
physicians for non-emergency treatment,” said Dr. Manish Oza, WellPoint medical
director and emergency room physician. “If that’s not an option, in cases where
patients are looking for treatments related to allergies and colds–such as
sinus infections, sore throats, ear infections and bronchitis–it just makes
more economic sense to go to a retail health clinic or urgent care clinic.”

In addition, the study, conducted by HealthCore, Inc., WellPoint’s outcomes
research subsidiary, showed that few patients who received care at retail health
clinics or urgent care clinics needed follow-up care for their ailment, implying
that they received the appropriate level of care, said John Barron, HealthCore
director for health plan research.

Members may pay less by using retail health clinics, often located in retail
stores, supermarkets and pharmacies, or urgent care clinics, typically staffed
full-time by physicians, rather than hospital emergency rooms for mild upper
respiratory ailments commonly associated with allergies and the common cold.

The study of members in WellPoint’s affiliated health plans in 14 states found
that nearly one in five ER visits (19.4 percent) were for non-emergencies,
including conditions such as upper respiratory infections, sore throats, or
urinary tract infections. This is during a time when ER visits have increased 31
percent in 2005 over 1995 and ER waits to see a physician have increased from 38
minutes in 1997 to 56 minutes in 2005, according to federal government
statistics.

Bronchitis, one of the more expensive conditions to treat, cost $646 to treat in
the ER, compared with $97 for an urgent care visit and $54 for a retail health
clinic visit, according to the study. Average costs for ER visits for all
conditions studied ranged from $441 for the ER to $98 for urgent care and $52
for retail care. These costs represent total costs, including the portion paid
by the health plan member.

The HealthCore study showed that for every member treated at retail health
clinics, about 15 others are treated in the ER for the same condition.

The study also looked at overall costs to treat individual episodes over a
two-week period for ailments associated with allergy, cold and flu, along with
conjunctivitis and urinary tract infections. In this case, ER episodes cost an
average $500, while urgent care cost $150 and retail health clinic cost $90.

Generally, retail health clinics and urgent care clinics may be used for the
following:

— Minor allergic reactions
— Mild asthma
— Coughs, sore throat
— Bumps, minor cuts, scrapes
— Rashes, minor burns
— Sprains, strains
— Minor fevers, colds
— Minor headaches
— Ear or sinus pain
— Burning with urination
— Eye swelling, irritation, redness or pain
— Back pain
— Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
— Minor animal bites
— Vaccinations
— X-rays
— Stitches

Emergency rooms should be used for those with the following conditions:

— Any life-threatening or disabling condition
— Sudden or unexplained loss of consciousness
— Chest pain; numbness in the face, arm or leg; difficulty speaking
— Severe shortness of breath
— High fever with stiff neck, mental confusion or difficulty breathing
— Coughing or wound that won’t stop bleeding
— Major injuries
— Possible broken bones

*Savings are based on the difference in patient co-pays, as well as those
patients with high deductible plans who may pay the entire cost of the ER visit.

About HealthCore

HealthCore, based in Wilmington, Del., is the clinical outcomes research
subsidiary of WellPoint. HealthCore has a team of highly experienced researchers
including physicians, biostatisticians, pharmacists, epidemiologists, health
economists and other scientists who study the “real world” safety and
effectiveness of drugs, medical devices and care management interventions.
HealthCore offers insight on how to best use this data and communicates these
findings to health care decision-makers to support evidence-based medicine,
product development decisions, safety monitoring, coverage decisions, process
improvement and overall cost-effective health care. For more information, go to
www.healthcore.com.

About WellPoint, Inc.

WellPoint is committed to improving the lives and health of the people and
communities we serve by simplifying the connection between health, care and
value. Our goal is to help shape the impact each health care decision has on
individuals, the health care system at-large, and our communities. WellPoint’s
more than 42,000 associates work every day to help create the best health care
value for our customers. Through collaborations with providers and with
innovative programs, WellPoint’s affiliated health plans reward healthy
lifestyles and quality, safe and effective care. As the nation’s largest health
benefits company, with nearly 34 million members in its affiliated health plans,
WellPoint is at the center of the health care system. This position provides us
with the relationships and insights needed to help create affordable and
actionable solutions that improve health care.

As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association,
WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue
Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana,
Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area),
Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10
New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or
Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio,
Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.),
Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is
available at www.wellpoint.com.

SOURCE WellPoint, Inc.

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