Private insurance claims for urgent care services recorded a 1,725 percent spike between 2007 and 2016, according to a Healthcare Dive report.
That number dwarfs the 229 percent growth for emergency room claims over the same period.
The data from FAIR Health’s Healthcare Indicators and Medical Price Index also found varying health charges according to location. Patients on average spent about $294 for a brief new-patient office appointment; $242 in urgent care centers and $109 in retail clinics.
According to the Healthcare Dive report, the figures point to a larger trend by payers to push more health care to medical centers less expensive than an emergency room, but still medically sound.
Check out the full report on Healthcare Dive by clicking here.