How Urgent Care Centers Can Drive Up Employer Health Costs
Tue, Sep 8, 2009
Employer Health Costs, Featured, Occupational Health, Onsite Health Clinic
If an employer pays for primary care at an urgent or immediate care center, he’ll need his own “urgent care” when he reviews his quarterly claims experience data with his broker!
I was recently asked by an employer whether our plan would allow his employees to access urgent care centers for primary care (increasing their options when they needed treatment).
While immediate care clinics provide a valuable service, they should not be used for primary care for several reasons.
First and foremost, urgent care is typically far more expensive than the same care provided in a physicians office or in an onsite employee health clinic. Under most plans, the rates for urgent care are higher — by as much as 30% — than the rates for primary care. Therefore, a hefty premium is paid for the same care which, needless to say, drives up employer health costs.
Despite the increased cost, urgent care centers don’t generally deliver better care – a regular relationship with a dedicated primary care provider is a much better way to manage health. That’s because an urgent care model is made to handle minor emergencies, not to provide quality primary care.
I’ve also heard of health plans that feature lower employee co-pays for urgent care than for primary care. This worst case scenario provides an incentive for employees to go to an urgent care center for conditions that can be better and less expensively treated by a primary care provider or onsite health clinic.
A managed care program that promotes wellness and encourages injured or sick employees to seek timely and effective treatment at an appropriate facility is the best way to lower employer health costs, and one sure way to keep cost-conscious employers out of the urgent care center.
Workplace Health Services can help large companies reduce employer health costs and help employees reduce the likelihood of serious illnesses. If you would like more information, you can call us at (866) 612-2848 or , and we’ll be in touch.
Photo: Zoomar
Jill Mercer is the Business Development Manager at Workplace Health Services. She understands what information business owners, CFOs and HR Executives need to purchase healthcare services, and how to provide a practical and robust solution within a budget.
November 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Hi Jill,
We’ve found that many employers are saving money by promoting urgent care with their employees. Many employees default to the ER for personal and work related injuries and illnesses, when an urgent care or PCP would be more appropriate.
Jennifer