At a glance
Choosing the right level of care gets you treated quickly while avoiding unnecessary costs. The steps below walk you through where to go for care, what to do once you’re there, and what to check afterward.
The $500 rule.
If you go to the Emergency Room (ER) for a non-emergency, you’ll be charged an additional $500 — and it won’t count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. Save the ER for true emergencies; for everything else, there’s a faster, lower-cost option below.
Choose your care
Here’s how your options compare, so you can pick the right one for your situation:
Teladoc Health — Fastest and lowest-cost option: $10 per visit if you’re enrolled in an LSC Medical Plan, available 24/7 by phone or video. Good for allergies, cold/flu, ear infections, pink eye, stress, or depression. Register at teladochealth.com or download the app.
Your Primary Care Physician (PCP) — Moderate speed, low cost — in-network preventive visits are free. Best for annual physicals, flu shots, well-child visits, immunizations, and everyday health concerns, plus referrals to specialists when you need them.
Urgent Care — Fast, moderate cost, walk-ins welcome. A good option when you need help quickly, but it isn’t life-threatening. Think a sprained ankle, a bad ear infection, a high fever, back pain, migraines, minor fractures, or a cut that needs stitches, especially when your PCP isn’t available.
Emergency Room — Immediate for true emergencies, but long waits for non-emergencies, and the highest cost. Go to the nearest ER or call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, severe injuries, or broken bones.
At your visit
A few things to know once you’re being seen:
Your plan pays differently depending on how you’re enrolled. If you’re in the HSA Core or HSA Value plan, you’ll pay the full cost until you meet your deductible. Then the plan starts sharing costs. If you’re in the Copay PPO plan, you pay a set copay based on the provider’s tier instead, and there’s no deductible for in-network care.
Getting a prescription? Your LSC Medical Plan’s prescription drug coverage, administered by Prime Therapeutics, applies whether the prescription comes from Teladoc, your PCP, urgent care, or the ER.
Need help understanding your bill or finding an in-network option nearby? A medical concierge through Health Advocacy Solutions, available through all LSC Medical Plans, can help you find in-network care, estimate costs before you go, or make sense of a bill afterward.
After an injury
If you were treated for an accidental injury — a broken bone, a concussion, a laceration — the Accident Insurance (if you’re enrolled) can help offset the costs.
File a claim for cash paid directly to you. Accident Insurance through MetLife pays a cash benefit for covered injuries, which you can use for anything — copays, deductibles, or everyday expenses. Visit metlife.com/mybenefits, call, or use the MetLife Mobile App, and enter LSC Communications as your organization name.
If it’s more serious
Sometimes an urgent care or ER visit turns into something bigger. A couple of benefits are there if that happens.
Admitted to the hospital? Hospital Indemnity (MetLife), if you’re enrolled, pays you directly — $500 for the admission, plus $250 a day for up to 31 days of a covered stay. If your condition requires inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll receive $100 per day for up to 15 days.
Diagnosed with a major illness? If your visit leads to a diagnosis like a heart attack, stroke, end-stage renal failure, major organ failure, or invasive cancer, Critical Illness insurance (if enrolled) pays a lump sum of $10,000 or $20,000 directly to you.
Either way, file the claim the same way — at metlife.com/mybenefits, by phone, or through the MetLife Mobile App, with LSC Communications as your organization name.
Next time
A few things worth keeping in mind before you need care again:
When in doubt, start with Teladoc or your PCP. They’re your fastest, lowest-cost options for anything that isn’t an emergency.
Save the ER for true emergencies — chest pain, trouble breathing, severe injuries, or broken bones — to avoid the $500 non-emergency penalty.
If you’re enrolled in Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, or Hospital Indemnity coverage, you and each covered dependent can also earn a $50 health screening benefit for completing routine screenings like an annual physical, colonoscopy, or mammogram — up to $150 per person, per year, across all three plans.
Keep this handy through every step
Try Teladoc or your PCP first for anything that isn’t an emergency
Know your plan type (HSA Core, HSA Value, or Copay PPO) before you go
Avoid the ER for non-emergencies — it’s a $500 penalty that doesn’t count toward your deductible
File an Accident Insurance claim if you were treated for a covered injury
File a Hospital Indemnity or Critical Illness claim if your visit led to a hospital stay or major diagnosis
Receive cash for a health screening if you’re enrolled in Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, or Hospital Indemnity
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