Your Wellpoint urgent care options
When you feel sick or get hurt it's important to know where to go for help. Urgent care centers are places you can go when you need help quickly but it's not an emergency. They typically cost less than the emergency room, and you can go when your regular doctor can't see you. For serious emergencies, go to the ER.
Where to go when you need care
Your Wellpoint health insurance plan may help pay for urgent care visits, but not all health centers are in-network with Wellpoint. In-network means doctors or places that have partnered with Wellpoint to take care of you for less cost.
To use your Wellpoint benefits for urgent care and find in-network care near you, log into your member portal on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Or, download the Sydney℠ Health app from your mobile device’s app store.
Download Sydney Health on the App Store
Download Sydney Health on Google Play
You can also use the Find Care tool on your computer or smartphone. Enter the type of plan or network you have, the state where your plan is offered, how you receive coverage (for example, Medicaid or Medicare Individual), and the specific name of your plan or network.
Virtual urgent care
Some Wellpoint plans let you get virtual urgent care online. You can use it for health concerns that aren't emergencies. Virtual urgent care lets you talk to a health worker about your problems without needing to make an appointment. You can find Wellpoint virtual urgent care and other telehealth options on the Sydney Health app or your member portal.
When to use your Wellpoint urgent care benefits
Urgent care centers can help quickly with health concerns that aren’t very serious. They are often open when your normal doctor isn’t, such as in the evening or on weekends. This makes them handy when your regular doctor can't see you.
Doctors and nurses are usually available at urgent care centers to assist with issues like:
- Small broken bones and sprains
- Cuts needing stitches
- Small asthma problems
- Fever, flu, and cold
- Ear infections
- Small burns
Going to urgent care is usually faster and cheaper than going to the emergency room.
When to go to the emergency room (ER)
The ER, or emergency room, is the best place to go if you're very sick or hurt and can’t wait to see your doctor. The ER is ready to help with all kinds of emergencies. If you feel like you can’t breathe, you have very bad chest pain, or you’re bleeding a lot, you should go to the ER right away or call 911.
When to see your primary care provider (PCP)
Your normal doctor, or primary care provider (PCP), helps keep you healthy. They know a lot about your health, like any health questions you have and the treatments you're getting. You visit your PCP for normal care like regular checkups, and concerns that don't need immediate help. PCPs usually work during regular work hours. Many PCPs can also talk to you online.
When to choose a retail health clinic
Retail health clinics, or walk-in clinics, are usually found inside places like drugstores, pharmacies, and major retailers. They can help with small concerns like a rash, fever, or cold. They can also give you vaccines.
Does my Wellpoint plan cover urgent care?
All health plans cover visits to urgent care. Use the SydneySM Health app or log into your member portal to learn more about the help you get for urgent care with Wellpoint: