CVS Minute Clinic vs. Urgent Care: Differences & Which One is Cheaper in 2024?

Summary: 

There are three main differences between a retail clinic and an urgent care center: 

• Different licensing levels for medical provider: almost 100% of retail clinics are staffed with a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant (2-3 years of medical education) while some urgent care centers are staffed with medical doctors (4 years of medical education + 2-5 years of training) .
• Different levels of care: urgent care centers often have imaging equipments and staffed with technicians to care for minor traumas like open wound or cut. Retail clinics are lack of these equipments and often route patients to an urgent care or an emergency department instead.
• Different price point: retail clinics could be more affordable for less severe conditions and preventative care, while urgent care centers are more affordable for acute conditions like flu-like symptoms and minor trauma.

With that, there are also some similarities to keep in mind:

• Both have walk-in availability. With that being said, because of the pandemic, some clinics require appointment booking online. It is always advisable to call them ahead of time and check.
• Pricing is very unpredictable no matter where you go. Our own independent research found that cost for an urgent care visit can vary as much as three times, this can be said also for retail clinics with a la carte price menus.
• Both take insurance and have cash rates. You can still go without insurance, however the cost could be cheaper or sometimes more expensive than going through insurance.

Tips: If you have no insurance or a high deductible, using Mira is a great way to book an urgent care appointment at over 1100 clinics nationwide for a fixed $99 copay (inclusive of any in-house procedures and testing). You can also book an STD test or annual bloodwork for as low as $49 copay. 

How Retail Clinics Work

Retail clinics often take care of preventative care needs. These facilities are often located within or near pharmacies or stores that sell health-related merchandise. Practitioners who you’ll see at these facilities are generally going to be a mid-level provider, a  nurse practitioner and a physician assistant. 

These clinics often focus on convenience and availability to the patient as well as being affordable for low-income persons. Walk-in retail clinics treat illnesses or conditions of lesser severity, such as sore throat, vaccination, and pregnancy testing. Retail clinics can also act as a convenient provider to university students whose primary care physicians are far away.

Patients seeking treatment for more severe conditions should seek care at urgent care or the ER, depending on the severity.

Alternatively, free clinics may be an option but offer limited services, are not widely available, and are not as accessible, usually offering services only 1-2 times a week.