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VIDEO from Medialink, Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems: Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems Announce Offer of Free Health Care Services for Families That Suffer Job Loss and Have No Health Insurance

Posted on: Tuesday, 31 March 2009, 07:00 CDT

- 'Take Care Recovery Plan' to Provide Take Care Clinic Patients and their Families Peace of Mind for Basic Health Care Services -

- Companies Cite Goal of Health Care Not Taking Backseat to Economy as Driving Motivation Behind Offer-

- Quest Diagnostics to Offer Certain Free Laboratory Testing Services -

DEERFIELD, Ill. and CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating their commitment to families during tough economic times, Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and Take Care Health Systems today announced the launch of the Take Care Clinic Take Care Recovery Plan - an offer of free health care services at Take Care Clinics throughout the remainder of 2009 to all current and future Take Care Clinic patients, and their families, that suffer a job loss on or after March 31, 2009 and have no health insurance benefits.

See video from Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems at: http://inr.mediaseed.tv/TakeCareHealth_36399/

"Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems will not stand idly by as individuals are forced by the hardships of the economy to choose among basic necessities such as health care, housing and food. Quality, accessible and affordable care should be the right of every individual," said Walgreens President and CEO Gregory D. Wasson. "For that reason, we are announcing the offer of the Take Care Recovery Plan, so that families finding themselves without employment and health insurance benefits aren't forced to make this tough decision."

The Take Care Recovery Plan offer applies to most services currently provided at the Take Care Clinics, including routine treatment of the following conditions:

* Respiratory Illnesses, such as colds, sinus infections, bronchitis and strep throat

* Common Conditions, such as seasonal allergies, urinary tract infections and pink eye

* Skin Conditions, such as dry skin, poison ivy, and minor skin infections and burns

Under the Take Care Recovery Plan, patients can access these services anytime between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Health evaluations, vaccinations, physicals and injection/infusion administration are excluded from the offer.

A full list of Take Care Clinic services, generally priced at $59 and above, can be accessed at www.takecarehealth.com.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, is participating in the Take Care Recovery Plan with Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems by providing free laboratory testing services to qualified Take Care Clinic patients. Quest Diagnostics will provide free laboratory testing services, such as cultures for strep throat and urine tests to aid the diagnosis of bladder and urinary tract infections, ordered by Take Care Health Providers in the course of treating Take Care Clinic patients.

"Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems strongly believe that a family's health care needs should not take a backseat to the economy," said Hal F. Rosenbluth, President of Walgreens Health and Wellness division and Chairman of Take Care Health Systems. "Take Care Clinics were founded on the principle of providing patient-focused care and doing all that they can to help every patient in the communities they serve. We consider this opportunity to help current and future Take Care Clinic patients a privilege and believe that Take Care Clinics are well-placed to deliver such peace of mind."

Qualifications

This offer applies to any Take Care Clinic patient that loses his or her job on or after March 31 and has no health insurance. Any other individual that visits a Take Care Clinic as a patient on or after March 31, and then loses his or her job and is uninsured, will qualify for the offer for the remainder of 2009.

Importantly, qualifying individuals' dependents, including a spouse, same-sex domestic partner or minor child, are also covered by the offer as long as he or she does not have health insurance benefits.

Qualifying individuals who find employment before the end of 2009 will no longer qualify for the offer, nor will their spouses, same-sex partners, or dependent children. And, if any person who qualified for the offer obtains health insurance benefits before the end of 2009, he or she also will no longer qualify for the offer.

Take Care Recovery Plan and the Health Care System

The Take Care Recovery Plan is in no way intended as a substitute to COBRA health benefits or any other insurance. Take Care Health Systems encourages patients to be thoughtful about their health care and plan to the best of their ability for any needed health care services outside of the scope offered at Take Care Clinics.

Take Care Health Providers encourage all patients to have a health care home, a routine health care provider for ongoing medical needs. If a patient's condition falls outside of the scope of service at a Take Care Clinic, the patient is referred to a primary care provider for follow-on care. Take Care Health Providers integrate with the local medical community to offer patients robust referral options.

"Take Care Health Providers have always served as advocates for patients that visit the clinics. We fully appreciate the important role we can play for patients, helping them to understand where the Take Care Recovery Plan starts and stops in terms of service delivery," said Sandra Ryan, Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer for Take Care Health Systems. "To that end, Take Care Health Providers will work hand-in-hand with patients to provide them with information on all health care support options - including child and adult state assistance plans, free or discounted prescription plans and referrals to other affordable care sites within the health care system.

"The Take Care Recovery Plan is aimed at helping patients meet their health care needs, and we will do our best to help patients and their families navigate their way through an excellent health care experience."

Validating Qualifications

Those interested in participating in the Take Care Recovery Plan offer can visit www.takecarerecoveryplan.com or call 1-866-Take-Care (1-866-825-3227) to understand the process for determining whether they and their dependents qualify for the offer. All forms associated with the offer are available online.

In addition to having been a Take Care Clinic patient, individuals need to present their federal or state unemployment determination letter along with verification of unemployment payment prior to visiting a Take Care Clinic for care. Patients will be asked to sign a certification at the Take Care Clinic acknowledging their loss of employment and lack of health insurance benefits. In addition, Take Care Health Systems will check to confirm that each patient is uninsured.

The Take Care Recovery Plan's terms and conditions include additional important information regarding details of the offer, including qualifications and services covered, and are available at www.takecarerecoveryplan.com.

Take Care Clinics are walk-in, professional health care centers located at select Walgreens drugstores across the country. Board certified family nurse practitioners and physician assistants treat patients 18 months and older for common illnesses and are licensed to write prescriptions when necessary that can be filled at the patient's pharmacy of choice.

Take Care Health Systems currently manages 342 Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drugstores in 35 markets across 19 states, including locations in: Atlanta, Boulder-Longmont, Colo., Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Green Bay, Wis., Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Madison, Wis., Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, Orlando, Fla., Oshkosh, Wis., Peoria, Ill., Philadelphia-area, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Rockford, Ill., St. Louis, Tampa, Fla., Topeka, Kan., Tucson, Ariz., West Palm Beach, Fla. and Wichita, Kan.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,679 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

About Take Care Health Systems

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions (www.takecarehealth.com) and Take Care Health Employer Solutions (www.takecareemployersolutions.com). Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at www.questdiagnostics.com.

Registered journalists can access video, audio, text, graphics and photos for free and unrestricted use at http://www.mediaseed.tv.

03NY09-0104

SOURCE Medialink; Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems

Source: PR Newswire

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