Trends in Urgent Care Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries From 2012 to 2019.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Urgent care (UC) centers have proliferated rapidly, yet research on how utilization has changed among older adults is limited.

Objectives

To examine UC utilization among older adults and assess whether utilization rates varied by beneficiary sociodemographic and community characteristics.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional study used data from a 20% national sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older using UC centers from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019. Statistical analysis was performed from May 1, 2021, to November 24, 2025.

Main outcome and measures

Among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older, unadjusted UC visits were calculated by year from 2012 to 2019 overall and stratified by dem

SUBMITTER: Mantilla JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12836136 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature