Urgent Care Centers Use Increased Net Overall Health Plan Spending

The use of urgent care centers for lower-acuity (care that does not present an immediate danger to life or health) visits increased net overall health plan spending. The reduction of just one lower-acuity (care that does not present an immediate danger to life or health) visit to the emergency department is associated with 37 additional urgent care visits. In 2019, the average lower-acuity visit to an emergency department cost about $1,716 compared with $178 for a single lower-acuity urgent care center visit. Therefore, preventing a single $1,646 lower-acuity visit to the emergency department . . .