Does urgent care justify higher fees?
Q We’re opening a second urgent care facility in a nearby location and plan to see patients of higher acuity than we do now. Currently, we bill every patient for a regular office visit (depending on the level of care) and add a facility fee of $25. Since our new facility will be designed, equipped and staffed like an emergency room, can we bill at ER rates even though we won’t be part of a hospital? A No. An urgent care center is considered a “walk-in” office, not an ER. Although fee schedules are generally higher than for physicians’ offices, you’re not permitted by Medicare or Medicaid to charge a “facility fee.” Check your contracts with commercial insurers to see if they reimburse for this fee.
