Eight MinuteClinic locations open in La.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has opened eight new MinuteClinic locations in Louisiana, the company said Wednesday.

CVS said it opened the clinics inside CVS/pharmacy stores in Baton Roughe, Mandeville, Slidell and Thibodaux, with plans to open four more in New Orleans, Metairie, Prairieville and Kenner. The openings make Louisiana the 27th state in which MinuteClinic operates.

The clinics will be open seven days per week for walk-in service, with no appointment necessary, accepting most major health insurance; according to the company. The cost for most services starts at $79. CVS Caremark plans to open 150 clinics nationwide in 2013.

"We face a significant shortage in primary care providers, an aging Baby Boomer population and soon, the addition of millions of newly insured patients through the Affordable Care Act," MinuteClinic president an CVS Caremark SVP and associate chief medical officer Andrew Sussman said. "By increasing access to high quality, affordable care at convenient clinic locations where patients shop, MinuteClinic can help support the primary care medical home in Louisiana."

Sussman said about half the patients seen at MinuteClinic don't have a physician, and most visits occur on weekends, holidays and during evenings.