Claude M. Setodji, PhD

We examine utilization, quality, and expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries receiving care at federally qualified health centers and compare outcomes among those attributed to 1 of 3 recognition programs versus none.

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries use less home healthcare than do their fee-for-service counterparts, but there is marked regional variation in use by both groups.

There are concerns that retail clinics provide inferior quality of care. The authors found no difference in quality among retail clinics, physician offices, and emergency departments.

Retail clinic use increased dramatically over 3 years, especially among young, healthy, higher income enrollees living close to retail clinics.