Walgreens Clinics Provide Free Health Care for the (Very) Recently Unemployed

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If you’ve found yourself avoiding the doctor because you’re recently laid off and not sure what to do, we’ve got news for you!  Walgreens Take Care clinics are opening their doors “free of charge” to those affected by a job loss.  Read on for the details on this newsworthy development.

Even if you aren’t needing medical care as you read this, chances are good that you will in the near future.  Even something as minor as a simple antibiotic prescription can mess with your budget – especially if a recent job loss has left you uninsured.  The Take Care clinics in many Walgreens stores look to their “Take Care Recovery Plan” as a way to assist.  Here are the details of the program:

• The program is designed to assist patients of the 341 Take Care Clinics located in Walgreens pharmacies across the country.  If you’ve lost your job since March 31^st, 2009 and don’t have insurance, you can become eligible for free walk-in visits (valued at approximately $59 or more).  The coverage doesn’t pay for prescriptions (although generics of many drugs are usually very affordable.)

• The clinic doesn’t require you to make appointments, but the hours for free services are limited (Mon-Fri from 11a.m. until 3p.m.) and will not cover check-ups, vaccinations, or other injections.  To see a list of commonly treated illnesses that Take Care treats, see the Take Care website.

   

• You must provide verification of your job loss, either in the form of unemployment papers or another documented method.  Spouses, same-sex domestic partners, and children can also receive complimentary treatment under the program, if the family member that lost their job was already a patient of the Take Care clinic prior to job loss.  (Children that were already seen by the clinic prior to the job loss will qualify their family if a parent loses their job, as well.)

   

• You can pre-qualify for free treatment by visiting the clinic and filling out papers in advance.  You also have 21 days from treatment to provide verification of your eligibility if you need to be seen and don’t have your verification available at the time of treatment.

   

Those interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to visit the Walgreens Take Care Clinic website (www.takecarehealth.com).  Their FAQ should provide you with all the info you need to get started.