There is good access to basic and emergency care in the US, so much so that health insurance companies had to establish high co-pays for ER visits to cause people to go to urgent care clinics and doctors offices. A basic ER visit can cost a health insurance plan $800 where as an office visit or urgent care clinic visit costs $120 to $200 or less. Some ER's have a triage nurse who does a basic exam and diverts non-emergency patients to urgent care clinics or doctor's offices.

Work place injuries are often sent to industrial medicine clinics that specialize in the paperwork needed to charge Workers' Compensation insurance companies.