A Message Regarding Fast Track Minor Emergency Care Billing
Oct 02, 2025
We at William Newton Hospital sincerely apologize for the confusion and frustration some of our patients have experienced regarding the billing for our Fast Track Minor Emergency Care service. We hear your concerns and regret that the introduction of this new service did not align with your billing expectations.
When we launched Fast Track Minor Emergency Care last year, our goal was to provide faster, convenient care for less severe, non-life-threatening conditions, especially during high-volume times in the ER. While we promoted the Fast Track as a convenient, walk-in option, we failed to explain how coverage for a hospital-based service could vary by insurance provider.
The Fast Track is an extension of our Emergency Department and is not classified as a standalone urgent care center. While we made comparisons to urgent care to explain the type of conditions we treat, this distinction—a hospital-based minor emergency care service—can impact how your insurance processes a claim.
Charges for Fast Track Minor Emergency Care, while typically lower than an ER visit, are often higher than a clinic or standalone urgent care center. This is because your bill reflects immediate access to comprehensive hospital resources like advanced imaging, a full laboratory, highly trained medical staff, and the ability to admit or transfer you to a higher level of care if needed.
Moving forward, we are committed to providing a clearer understanding of our billing practices and will strive to eliminate the confusion by removing comparisons to urgent care clinics. We are also enhancing training for staff to clearly and consistently communicate the distinction of the Fast Track as a hospital-based service and advise patients on how to check with their insurer regarding coverage.
We strongly encourage patients to contact their insurance provider directly to understand specific benefits and coverage for hospital-based minor emergency care. If you have questions about your Fast Track bill, please call us at 620-221-2300 and ask to speak with our business office for further clarification.
Thank you for your patience and for trusting William Newton Hospital with your care.
Posted in Emergency Care on Oct 02, 2025