Last time I was the ER in the US, I waited four hours with a pretty serious fever. Talked to a doctor for maybe 5 minutes and got sent home. Cost me only $500.
We have a free health line. It operates 24/7. You talk to an operator who puts you in a queue to talk to a triage nurse. They tell you if you need to go to the ER.
My urgent care facility, the only option between 5pm and 9am or on weekends, pretty much sends everyone to the ER as a precaution. If it’s serious enough, they’ll call ahead and get you into the triage system before you arrive.