CVS Health Increasing Access to Health Care with Annual Project Health Campaign

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In its continuing commitment to help improve access to health care for all Americans, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced the rollout of Project Health, its annual free health services campaign, at select CVS Pharmacy locations in 10 multicultural communities across the country. Beginning Thursday, September 8 and running through December 18, nearly $8 million worth of free health services will be delivered at more than 500 Project Health events.

Since 2006, Project Health has delivered more than $112 million worth of free health care services to nearly 872,000 people, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured, demonstrating the continuing need for these critical services.

"Despite the increased number of Americans who have become insured over the past five years, there are still barriers to quality care, such as cost and access, for many patients," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. "Project Health is part of CVS Health's commitment to improving access to quality care by identifying health concerns and risk factors for participants who may not have otherwise sought preventative care."

Project Health offers an array of free comprehensive health risk assessments, including blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), glucose and total cholesterol screenings. Once screened, CVS Pharmacy helps patients through on-site consultations with bilingual (English/Spanish) nurse practitioners or physician assistants who will analyze results and refer patients who require additional medical attention to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities nearby or to their primary care physician. CVS pharmacists are also available to conduct one-on-one medication reviews and answer any questions patients may have.

"The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) applauds CVS Health on their Project Health initiative," said Kevin Counihan, Director and Marketplace Chief Executive Officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  "We thank them for their continued commitment to providing free health screenings and educational materials ensuring better health for many Americans."

Over the past 10 years, high rates of certain treatable conditions among Project Health participants have been identified, including:

• 53 percent were found to be overweight or obese 
• 38 percent had abnormal blood pressure readings 
• 26 percent had abnormal glucose readings 
• 37 percent were found to have abnormal cholesterol levels

Project Health events, held in markets with large multicultural populations, are open to all consumers regardless of race, gender or insurance status and do not require an appointment. Current locations include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Project Health events are also being held at select CVS Pharmacy stores in Puerto Rico through November on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m.  – 4 p.m. 

U.S. Project Health events will be held from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at select CVS Pharmacy locations, with no appointment needed. For a full calendar of Project Health events, visit www.cvs.com/projecthealth (in Spanish: www.cvs.com/proyectosalud). 

About CVS Health

CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

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SOURCE CVS Health