Emergencies and Urgent Care

Emergencies

If you have a medical emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. For emergency medical conditions, you do not have to get approval from AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio to get care. If you need to be admitted to the hospital, you should let your primary care provider (PCP) know. As an AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio member, you will receive all medically necessary Medicaid-covered services at no cost to you. 

An emergency medical condition is a situation in which your life could be threatened, or you could be hurt permanently if you don’t get care right away. Some examples of an emergency are:

  • A heart attack or severe chest pain
  • Bleeding that won’t stop or a bad burn
  • Broken bones
  • Trouble breathing, convulsions or loss of consciousness
  • When you feel you might hurt yourself or others
  • If you are pregnant and have signs like pain, bleeding, fever or vomiting
  • Drug overdose

Some examples of non-emergencies are colds, upset stomach, or minor cuts and bruises. Non-emergencies may also be family issues or a breakup. These may feel like an emergency, but they are not a reason to go to the emergency department.

Urgent care

You may have an injury or an illness that is not an emergency but still needs prompt care and attention. This could be:

  • A child with an earache who wakes up in the middle of the night and won’t stop crying
  • The flu or if you need stitches
  • A sprained ankle or a bad splinter you cannot remove

You can walk into an urgent care clinic to get care the same day or make an appointment for the next day. Whether you are at home or away, call your primary care provider (PCP) any time, day or night. If you cannot reach your PCP, call the 24/7 Health Advice Line at 1-833-625-6446 (TTY 1-833-889-6446). Tell the person who answers what is happening. They will help you find care.

Mental health and addiction crisis

A mental health or addiction crisis is not a life-threatening situation. In a crisis, a person may be thinking about hurting themselves or someone else or may be extremely emotionally upset or distressed — call 988. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or addiction emergency or life-threatening situation, call 911.

Examples of a mental health and addiction crisis:

  • Talking about suicide or planning to harm oneself
  • Talking about harm to self or others
  • Self-injury that doesn’t need immediate medical attention
  • Overuse of alcohol or other drugs
  • Extreme depression, anxiety, or other mental illness symptoms

If someone is having a mental health and/or addiction crisis, call 988.

Is it a mental health and addiction emergency or crisis? Read Mental Health and Addiction Emergency or Crisis? to learn the difference and know when to call 911 or 988.

Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) provide immediate behavioral health services, at home or another safe location, for young people under 21 experiencing significant behavioral or emotional distress. Call the MRSS hotline at 1-888-418-MRSS (6777).

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