In the United States, there are almost 50 visits to the emergency room (ER) per 100 people each year. Knowing this statistic, an ER visit may seem inevitable, especially when older adults are more susceptible to falls and illness. The good news is you can prepare for the unexpected when you know what steps you can take now and which actions to take after an emergency room visit.
Whether you’re discharged from the ER or admitted for inpatient hospital care, here are actions to take after an emergency room visit or hospital stay.
Prior to leaving the hospital, you should receive discharge instructions for how to care for yourself at home. These may include dietary recommendations, details on new medications, and activities to avoid. It’s important you heed this advice to lessen your risk of returning to the ER. Be sure to review the instructions before leaving the hospital so that you may ask questions.
One important piece of your discharge instructions is knowing when to return to the ER or to schedule a doctor’s visit. If your original symptoms worsen or you develop new issues, follow the hospital’s guidance on how to get help or contact your primary care physician (PCP).
You may have new medications to fill when you’re discharged from the hospital. These are essential for healing, so make plans to visit the pharmacy that day or have someone pick up your prescriptions. Depending on your illness or injury, you may need supplies or medical equipment, ranging from supplemental oxygen to mobility devices, such as a walker. If the hospital doesn’t provide all the items, ask your physician or nurse where you may buy or rent them.
Your discharge instructions may or may not tell you to schedule a follow-up appointment with your PCP. But you should share the incident with your regular doctor. They are the most familiar with your medical history and will need to keep an eye on any new diagnoses and medications prescribed at the hospital.
You may also need to contact other specialists to assist with your care. This may be a cardiologist for a heart-related issue or a physical therapist for an injury. The hospital may refer you to a specialist when you’re discharged, or your PCP may provide a referral during your follow-up visit.
If you’re admitted to the hospital, you may need round-the-clock care after your discharge in a skilled nursing facility. This transition requires planning considerations ranging from the facility’s proximity to your loved ones to your financial situation and insurance coverage.
While you may not need care in a facility, you may still need professional home health care. In-home caregivers, such as nurses or skilled therapists, can assist with medication management, wound care, or more. If you require help with meals, cleaning, or transportation as you recover, home care aides can handle those non-medical tasks.
After you’ve recovered, you may wish to take steps to lessen the risk of a recurring emergency. In the event of a heart issue, for example, your PCP may recommend that you eat healthier or make other lifestyle changes. If you fell and incurred an injury, you may need to clear problematic pathways or begin exercises to improve your balance.
Also, your emergency may have uncovered threats in other areas, such as your financial well-being. Now is a good time to ensure you have the insurance coverage you need should the unexpected happen again.
Here are steps to help protect your finances in the event of a medical emergency.
If you’re a Medicare participant, make sure your preferred hospital accepts Medicare. Even if it does, remember that Medicare may cover some, but not all, of your expenses.
The average cost of an ER visit for someone 65 or older who is treated and released from the ER is $1,110. Medicare Part B typically covers emergency room services. If you have met your deductible, you will pay 20% of the Medicare-approved costs for services rendered at the ER. When you consider the average cost of an ER visit, this may be upwards of $200, plus one or more copayments, out of your pocket.
If you’re admitted to the hospital from the ER or within a few days of your ER visit, Medicare Part A benefits for inpatient hospital care go into effect. When your deductible has been met, Medicare will pay for hospital services for up to 60 days, but there may be exclusions.
The same benefits apply for inpatient rehabilitation services, but you may not have any coverage for a skilled nursing facility or use of home health care if your circumstances don’t meet Medicare’s requirements.
To be prepared for the unexpected, you can choose supplemental insurance plans, such as these, to fill the gaps in your Medicare coverage:
Otherwise known as Medigap, Medicare Supplement insurance is meant to fill gaps between what’s paid by original Medicare and the overall cost of health care treatments. It also helps with charges like copays, deductibles, and coinsurance. If you’re 65 years old and enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, you can apply for Medicare Supplement insurance.
A Hospital Indemnity plan complements your current health insurance by paying you a cash benefit for hospital-related expenses. These may be incurred before, during, and after a trip to the hospital and include ER services for an injury, observation unit monitoring, and even for your travel to the hospital. Such plans also pay an amount of your choosing each day of an inpatient stay at the hospital of your choice. Optional riders are available for ambulance services, skilled nursing services, outpatient therapy, and others for added peace of mind.
When you don’t meet Medicare requirements for skilled nursing or home health services, Short-term Care insurance can lessen your out-of-pocket costs. Whether for medical or non-medical needs, this plan offers a benefit of up to $300 each day you receive care, for up to 360 days. In addition, it offers benefits for household improvements, such as installing a ramp or walk-in shower, or for setting up a care plan when needed.
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A hospital stay can be upsetting — to your health, your wallet, and your family. A Hospital Indemnity insurance plan from Wellabe complements your existing health insurance by giving you cash to help with the costs your plan doesn’t cover.
Wellabe offers life and supplemental health insurance plans to help you prepare for good days and bad. We’ll always be here to empower you to be well — well prepared, well protected, and well loved.
