Free Care for Jobless
Walgreens is offering free clinic visits and treatment for minor ailments--via its Take Care in-store clinics--to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance after March 31. Executives are referring to the plan as somewhat of an experiment.
"Walgreens isn't sure of patient demand or how much providing the services might cost the company," admits Hal Rosenbluth, chairman of the Take Care Health Systems division.
The program is expected to last through the end of 2009. Walgreens runs 341 Take Care clinics in 35 markets around the country, including Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and Cleveland. Free services will be offered only from 11 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Walgreens will not offer free checkups, vaccinations or other injections because the objective is to provide services patients might otherwise get at an urgent-care center or emergency room. Patients must present proof they are unemployed, including a federal or state unemployment determination letter and an unemployment check stub. Spouses and children also are eligible for free services if they don't have insurance of their own.
Medical lab operator Quest Diagnostics is participating in the program by offering free tests for strep throat and urinary tract infections.