COSTA MESA, Calif. — Rite Aid Corp. has begun accepting CareCredit, a health, wellness and personal care credit card, at its more than 4,500 drug stores.

CareCredit said Wednesday that the card can be used at Rite Aid for prescriptions, in-store health screenings and clinical services such as immunizations, general merchandise purchases, and out-of-pocket expenses at RediClinic health clinics, which are located inside select Rite Aid stores.

Offered via Synchrony Financial, CareCredit is designed to make the costs of many treatments and procedures — as well as other health, beauty and wellness needs — more manageable by allowing consumers to make convenient monthly payments. It differs from conventional bank credit cards, the company said, by extending special financing offers that consumers can’t get using a Visa or MasterCard to pay for health, beauty and wellness care.

For short-term financing options of six, 12, 18 or 24 months, cardholders aren’t charged interest on purchases of $200 or more when they make the minimum monthly payments and pay the full amount due by the end of the promotional period. Those that don’t pay off their balance during the promotional period must pay interest, charged from the original purchase date.

CareCredit also offers longer-term financing with fixed monthly payments for 24, 36, 48 or 60 months with a 14.9% APR until paid in full. Purchases of $1,000 or more qualify for the 24-, 36- and 48-month financing, and purchases of $2,500 or more qualify for the 60-month offer.

Acceptance of the card gives Rite Aid customers with more payment options for their health and wellness needs, according to CareCredit.

“We continually talk with our cardholder community about how we can make CareCredit more convenient and valuable in helping consumers prepare for and manage their health and wellness expenses,” Dave Fasoli, executive vice president and chief executive officer of CareCredit, said in a statement. “Broadening acceptance to Rite Aid stores is the latest step in our ongoing efforts to provide more ways for cardholders to use CareCredit for their pharmaceutical, health and personal care needs.”

CareCredit has more than 10 million cardholders. Including Rite Aid, the card is now accepted at more than 195,000 health care providers and health-focused retailers nationwide. On its website, CareCredit provides an Acceptance Locator tool to help users find where the card can be used, including Rite Aid stores.

Other health services, procedures and treatments for which CareCredit can be used include cosmetic (including dermatological), dental, hearing, vision (including Lasik) and veterinary.