Health Fairs Aim to Help Uninsured
By The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio
Apr. 22–It’s an ironic truth of health care — Those who can least afford to get sick are the ones who are often the sickest when they seek medical care.
National studies have shown that the uninsured delay or forgo medical care and, as a result, are more likely to be diagnosed with disease at an advanced stage. The result — About two of these people die every day — or 750 a year — because they lack health insurance, according to Families USA.
Aultman Hospital and Akron General Medical Center will be holding separate health fairs for the uninsured.
Aultman’s free event will be 1 to 3 p.m. next Tuesday, April 29, at Turnaround Community Outreach, 312 Cherry Ave. N.E., Canton, for the uninsured and underinsured of any age.
Participants can undergo free blood pressure and body mass index screenings, as well as talk to experts in diabetes, asthma and primary care.
Information will also be available about programs such as Hospital Free Care, Medication Assistance, Medicaid, Medicare and individual health insurance plans.
For information, call 330-363-3405 or 330-363-3177. Reservations are not required.
Akron General’s program will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, in the Akron General Ambulatory Care Center (on the main campus at 400 Wabash Ave, across from the Heart & Vascular Center).
Free screenings will include blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose testing for uninsured men and women.
Mammograms, pap smears, colorectal cancer, and osteoporosis heel screenings will be available for women who qualify, and prostate and colorectal cancer screenings, for men who qualify.
To register, call 330-344-2462.
Trouble with bills
Even those who are insured have trouble paying medical bills. For families in this situation, UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation is offering grants to help children who need critical medical treatment, services or equipment not covered or not fully covered by their parents’ health plans.
The foundation offers grants to help pay for such services as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, prescriptions, and medical equipment such as wheelchairs, orthotics and eyeglasses.
Parents and legal guardians may apply for grants of up to $5,000 for services and equipment for children by completing an online application at http://www.uhccf.org.
To be eligible, children must be 16 or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, live in the United States and be covered by a commercial health benefit plan.
Health fair for men
Black men have the shortest life span of any group in the United States at 68.8 years.
The Healthy Men Live project will host the African-American Male Holistic Health Awareness & Empowerment Forum & Health Fair from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 30 in Summa Health System’s Professional Center South, 55 Arch St.
The free event will offer PSA screenings for prostate cancer, blood pressure readings, massage therapy and information about body mass index and nutrition.
To register, call 330-379-5787.
Tracy Wheeler can be reached at 330-996-3721 or tawheeler@thebeaconjournal.com.
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