ANTI-AGING AND FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE SERVICES

An urgent care center is a walk-in clinic focused on the delivery of medical care for minor illnesses and injuries in an ambulatory medical facility outside of a traditional hospital-based or freestanding emergency department. Other names for similar types of facilities include, but are not limited to: after hours walk-in clinics, minute clinics, quick care clinics, minor emergency centers, and minor care clinics. In some instances, facilities have used the term “emergency” in their name or advertisements, for example, “Minor Emergency Clinic” or “We Treat Emergencies.”

Although the Urgent Care Association of America and the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine have criteria for urgent care clinics, there are limited regulations or state licensing requirements. Criteria may include: that the facility be open 7 days a week, contain multiple exam rooms, have on-site diagnostic equipment, have a licensed physician as a medical director, accept walk-in patients during business hours, treat a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries and perform minor medical procedures.

Source: https://www.acep.org/patient-care/policy-statements/urgent-care-centers/

Medicare, HHS and OIG are increasingly targeting Urgent care centers for audits. This is why urgent care centers need to make sure they are compliant and keep tabs on the issues os corporate practice of medicine, EMTALA, physician contracting, joint ventures, purchasing and sales, Stark Law, Anti-kickback statute, HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid enrollment including payment regulations.

Cohen Healthcare Law Group understands the complex legal requirements to operate urgent care centers.