Emergency

A medical emergency is any situation where you risk losing your life or a limb if you don’t get immediate medical care.

In other words, a medical emergency is whenever an average person would think that if you don’t see a doctor right away, you might:

• Put your life in serious danger;
• Put your baby’s life in serious danger, if you’re expecting;
• Put yourself or others in serious danger due to a behavioral condition (like depression or schizophrenia);
• Impair how your body functions (for example, you lose a finger or have a stroke); or
• Seriously disfigure yourself (for example, you break your nose or have second-degree burns).

If any of the above happens, go immediately to the closest emergency room or dial 911.

You may find that you need medical attention quickly but it's not as serious as the situations listed above. If that's the case, try an urgent care clinic or your primary care doctor's office for care that may be faster and less expensive than going to the emergency room. If you're an Oscar member, talk to a doctor on the phone for free anytime 24/7 with the Oscar app. They can often assess your symptoms, write a prescription, or recommend which type of doctor you need to see in person.