It may cost you the same. With my insurance, if I'm admitted to a hospital, the time I spend in the ER is free to me, but if I'm not admitted, I pay for the ti

It may cost you the same. With my insurance, if I'm admitted to a hospital, the time I spend in the ER is free to me, but if I'm not admitted, I pay for the time I'm in the ER. That doesn't make ERs cheaper when you get admitted. ERs are more expensive to operate then urgent care. Even when the ER is treating something that could be treated at an urgent care. That doesn't change just because some people's insurance hide that detail from them.