Urgent Care Facilities and Medicare: Academic Review

1. Introduction

Accessing urgent care facilities with Medicare is crucial for individuals 65 and older, as well as those with disabilities. Urgent care facilities provide immediate treatment for non-life-threatening conditions, and Medicare coverage includes doctor´s visits and diagnostic tests under Part B.

2. Urgent Care Facilities

Urgent care facilities provide immediate treatment for minor injuries, infections, and fractures. The demand for convenient access to healthcare has led to an exponential rise in the growth of urgent care facilities (Weinick et al., 2009).

3. Medicare Overview

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for individuals 65 and older, as well as those with disabilities. It consists of four parts: Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), Part C (Advantage Plans), and Part D (prescription drug coverage). Urgent care coverage is included under Part B (CMS).

4. Challenges and Benefits

The benefits of using urgent care facilities with Medicare include reduced waiting times, lower costs, and extended hours (JAMA study). However, challenges include variability in acceptance, higher costs without supplementary insurance, and follow-up care issues (KFF report). Despite these challenges, patient outcomes show high satisfaction and cost savings (Uscher-Pines et al., 2013).

5. Policy and Future Directions

Current policies impact eligibility and coverage, and innovations such as the Medicare Advantage VBID model have a positive impact on costs and satisfaction (NBER).

6. Conclusion

Understanding Medicare and urgent care is crucial for individuals and policymakers. Future research and policy evolution are necessary to address the challenges and benefits of using urgent care facilities with Medicare.

7. References

• Weinick, R. M., et al. (2009). Health Affairs, 29(9), 1630-1636.
• Uscher-Pines, L., et al. (2013). American Journal of Managed Care, 19(1), 47-59.
• Kaiser Family Foundation. (2018). Retrieved from KFF.org.
• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). (2016). Retrieved from NBER.org.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2021). Retrieved from CMS.gov.