April 11, 2026 · EZaccessMD Team
EZaccessMD vs. the ER: A $4,066 Question
The average ER visit costs employers $4,066. Many of those visits are for conditions that a mobile medical unit can diagnose at $0 copay. Here's the comparison.
Let's compare two scenarios.
Scenario A: The ER
An employee wakes up with a severe sore throat. They can't get a same-day appointment with their PCP. They call their telehealth benefit — the doctor says it might be strep but can't test for it over the phone. The doctor advises them to go get tested.
The employee drives to the ER (the urgent care nearby doesn't open until 9am). They wait 2.5 hours. A nurse does a rapid strep test. It's positive. The doctor prescribes amoxicillin.
Total time: 4+ hours. Cost to employer: $4,066. Cost to employee: Whatever their deductible and copay require.
Scenario B: EZaccessMD
The same employee calls EZaccessMD at 6am. A physician answers within 15 minutes. The doctor suspects strep and orders a mobile diagnostic visit.
A mobile medical unit arrives at the employee's home within 2 hours. The tech runs a rapid strep test. Positive. The physician prescribes amoxicillin, sent electronically to the employee's pharmacy.
Total time: ~2.5 hours (most of it waiting at home, not in a waiting room). Cost to employer: Included in PEPM subscription. Cost to employee: $0.
The Difference
| | ER Visit | EZaccessMD | |---|---|---| | Wait time | 2.5 hours in waiting room | 2 hours at home | | Diagnostic capability | Full ER | Strep test, X-ray, EKG, ultrasound | | Cost to employer | $4,066 | Included in subscription | | Cost to employee | Deductible + copay | $0 | | Lost work time | 4+ hours | Minimal | | Follow-up | Patient responsible | EZaccessMD coordinates |
When to Go to the ER
EZaccessMD is not a substitute for emergency care. Chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, stroke symptoms, and other life-threatening conditions require 911 and the ER.
But for the strep tests, the minor fractures, the UTIs, the flu symptoms — the conditions that fill ER waiting rooms and cost employers thousands — there's a better option.
See projected savings at ezaccessmd.com/calculator.
EZaccessMD is NOT health insurance. We provide easy and convenient ACCESS to quality healthcare.