NEW YORK — Walk-in health clinics at Duane Reade can now accept Medicare payments for routine health services provided to senior citizens.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has certified New York Walk-In Medical Group to receive payments for services under the Medicare program. The medical practice group runs Duane Reade’s DR Doctor On-Premises health clinics in select Manhattan stores.

Unlike most other retail clinics, the DR Doctor On-Premises facilities are staffed by physicians, who can take care of most common ailments, minor injuries, routine screenings and vaccinations as well as provide referrals to specialists. The medical practice is affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan.

The number of patients treated in DR Doctor On-Premises clinics recently exceeded 100,000, according to Dr. Maggie Bertisch, M.D., medical director for New York Walk-In Medical Group. Duane Reade notes that having the ability to accept Medicare payments means the medical group can offer convenient and affordable health care to more seniors.

“Duane Reade is pleased to help bring New Yorkers convenient routine medical care through its association with the DR Doctor On-Premises Walk-In Medical Care facilities,” states Frank Scorpiniti, senior vice president of pharmacy operations at Duane Reade. “And now with the acceptance of Medicare at these facilities, we are truly ‘making New York Living Easy’ for Duane Reade’s patients and customers.”

The DR Doctor On-Premises clinics are managed by Consumer Health Services Inc., a provider of on-site, physician-directed consumer health centers.