Immediate Care

Choosing the right care, right now

We know how hectic your day can get. You don’t have time to be sick, much less wait in long lines at the hospital emergency room and deal with costly, unexpected bills.¹

We give you choices for quality care that fit your busy lifestyle, and help you save money with costs you can predict.

Each option has predictable co-pays, and Nurse24℠ is actually free. These options can provide prompt care from a medical professional wherever you happen to be.

Avoid expensive E.R. visits with telehealth

When you need a doctor now, why wait in a long line at the Emergency Room and get socked with an expensive bill afterwards? Instead, you can use Telehealth from Tufts Health Plan, powered by Teladoc®, if included with your plan. You’ll save time and money – especially since nearly 10 percent of all E.R. visits result in admission to the hospital.²

Virtual “visits” with a board-certified Teladoc doctor cost $45 or less!

Connect with a physician in minutes by phone or video app—anytime, anywhere. You can even get a prescription sent to your local pharmacy on the spot.

• Wait times for 64% of E.R. visits are nearly four hours while wait times for Teladoc can be less than 15 minutes.³
• Teladoc is a convenient and affordable alternative to the E.R. In fact, you can reduce medical costs by $2,661 on average by using Teladoc.³

Urgent care centers

Urgent care centers are staffed by providers who care for everything from cuts and burns to sprains and broken bones. No appointment is needed and you’ll spend less time waiting than you will at the E.R. You may need to get a referral from your primary care provider (PCP) after receiving treatment at an urgent care center, so it's a good idea to inform your PCP of any care you receive.

To find an urgent care center near you, use our online provider search. Just choose your plan type, enter your location, and type “urgent care centers” in the search bar.

Retail clinics

Retail clinics such as CVS MinuteClinic® and Walgreens Healthcare Clinic are an ideal choice when you need routine, non-urgent care for conditions like strep throat, pink eye, ear infections, and more.

Find a location near you at cvs.com/minuteclinic or walgreens.com.

1. Actual emergencies such as trauma, fractures, chest pain and others clearly merit an ER visit. Other conditions that are not life-threatening, such as cold and flu symptoms; allergies; sinus infections, etc.; can be effectively treated with telehealth.
2. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2015
3. Teladoc
   
   Telehealth is available to fully-insured members. Buy-up options are available for self-insured employers. If you’re not sure whether your plan includes Telehealth, ask your employer.