When a sudden illness or minor injury occurs, Fast Pace Urgent Care often serves as a convenient option for quick medical attention outside of a primary care office. For individuals without health insurance, navigating the costs can feel complicated, leading to uncertainty about the final bill. Understanding the specific pricing structure for uninsured patients is the first step toward making an informed decision about seeking treatment. The costs are determined by the facility’s set rates for self-pay patients and the complexity of the services rendered.
Understanding the Self-Pay Pricing Structure
Fast Pace Urgent Care utilizes a transparent pricing model for uninsured patients called the Simple Self-Pay Program. This program is designed to simplify the billing process by establishing a single, upfront office visit fee for a wide array of services. This fee represents a discounted rate applied to the total standard charge, ensuring uninsured individuals do not face the full cost associated with the facility’s standard fee schedule.
This structure operates as a bundled payment model, where a single base fee covers the provider’s evaluation and management services. This base rate typically includes the cost of the physical examination and consultation. The final total is determined by the specific services and procedures deemed medically necessary during the visit.
The bundled approach reduces the financial complexity of a standard medical bill, which often itemizes every supply and minute of the provider’s time. Paying the fixed amount upfront minimizes the risk of unexpected charges for common urgent care procedures. This bundled rate provides cost predictability for patients paying out-of-pocket.
Estimated Costs for Common Services
The core of the Fast Pace self-pay model is the base rate for an “Office Visit for urgent care and/or primary care services,” set at approximately $155. This flat fee covers the evaluation for many common, non-complex illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, minor cuts, ear infections, and symptoms of the common cold or flu. For patients with straightforward complaints that do not require extensive testing, this $155 payment often represents the entire out-of-pocket cost for the visit.
Other simple services have specific, discounted self-pay rates separate from the urgent care visit fee. For instance, a basic physical examination, such as a sports or student physical, is offered at a lower rate, around $25. A physical requiring a urinary drug screen, which involves additional lab work, is priced higher, often around $90.
The self-pay rate for a behavioral health initial visit is also set at the urgent care base rate, around $155, with follow-up behavioral health services costing less. This fixed rate aims to keep the cost of a simple visit predictable.
Ancillary Services and Additional Fees
While the Simple Self-Pay Program covers many services, certain ancillary procedures and specialized testing are billed as add-ons to the base rate. The base $155 fee includes several common in-house services, such as X-rays, basic in-house lab tests, injections, and minor procedures like suturing.
However, specific diagnostic tests are excluded from the bundled fee and require an additional charge. Testing for infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and Influenza, incurs an additional fee on top of the base visit cost. These rapid tests typically incur a separate charge, which can range from $50 to $100 depending on the specific test and processing method.
Any complex lab work sent out to an external, third-party laboratory will generate a separate bill from that entity. Patients requiring complex diagnostics or services not offered in-house should anticipate receiving a second bill from the external laboratory. The total cost can rise significantly if a patient requires a complex procedure, such as a fracture reduction, or specialized durable medical equipment like crutches or a brace.
Options for Reducing Out-of-Pocket Expenses
The Simple Self-Pay Program offers a fixed rate compared to standard charges. Before receiving any care, uninsured patients have the right to request a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges. This estimate details the anticipated costs for the services being considered and helps prevent surprise billing.
Patients should proactively inquire about payment plans if they cannot pay the entire bill at the time of service. Many healthcare facilities offer flexible, interest-free payment arrangements to help manage unexpected medical expenses. Asking the billing staff about a structured monthly payment plan can ease the immediate financial burden.
It is also helpful to discuss medication costs with the provider during the visit. The provider may be able to prescribe a therapeutically equivalent generic medication, which is often cheaper than a brand-name drug. Being transparent about financial concerns and asking specific questions upfront can help patients reduce their total out-of-pocket expenditure.