When to use a drugstore clinic

The benefit of these walk-in clinics, however, depends on a consumer’s situation. Because they are significantly cheaper, retail clinics often appeal to people who are uninsured and have to pay out of pocket, said RAND researcher Ateev Mehrotra.

The cost of care at walk-in clinics at stores such as CVS, Walgreens, Target and Wal-Mart is on average 30 to 40 percent lower than at a physician office or urgent care center and roughly 80 percent lower than an emergency room, a RAND study shows. For consumers, the average cost of an ER visit for strep throat can be $550 to $750 vs. $59 at a retail clinic, data from insurance giant Aetna shows.

Patients “really like the predictability of the cost,” Mehrotra said.

Source: StarTribune