The Rise of Urgent Care Centers: Implications for Competition and Access to Health Care

Lorenzo Magnolfi, Corina Mommaerts, Natalia Serna and Christopher Sullivan

Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics, 2024, vol. 2, issue 2, 201 - 243

Abstract: The number of urgent care centers (UCCs) in the United States has doubled in the past decade, generating questions about how these establishments integrate into the health-care landscape. We study the implications of UCCs’ location decisions for competition and access to health care. Using data on UCCs’ locations, we estimate a model of endogenous market structure for UCCs and hospitals. We find that UCCs provide a competitive alternative to hospitals for less intensive care and expand access to underserved populations.

Date: 2024
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