CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today it has launched an expansion of Project Health, the company’s no-cost, community-based screening program, which helps people without regular access to health care understand their risk for chronic conditions and connect to free or low-cost providers and services to support their unique health care needs.
As the company begins its 16th year of Project Health events, it will focus on an expansion into 14 new metro markets and the addition of four new mobile units to help bring these health screenings closer to areas of significant need. Between April and December, CVS Health anticipates hosting more than 1,700 Project Health screening events in a total of 32 metro markets across the country. The new metro areas where Project Health will expand include Birmingham, AL; Phoenix, AZ; Jacksonville, Orlando and Tallahassee, FL; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA; Jackson, MS; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Charleston and Columbia, SC; and Knoxville and Memphis, TN.
“At the heart of our purpose of helping people on their path to better health is our commitment to breaking down the barriers for people to access quality and affordable health care, and we started Project Health to help address these barriers in at-risk communities,” said Eileen Howard Boone, SVP, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy, CVS Health. “Each year as we choose Project Health locations, we select sites where we can make the most impact at the local level.”
Last year, CVS Health made a nearly $600 million commitment to invest in initiatives that address inequality faced by Black people and other disenfranchised communities. This expansion of Project Health is the latest in the company’s efforts to address social determinants of health that exist alongside racial and economic inequities.
“Our efforts to address social justice and equity are focused in areas where we can have the greatest impact as a leader in health,” said Kyu Rhee, SVP and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. “Over the last 15 years, Project Health has been extremely successful in connecting people to the health information and follow-up care they need to address the chronic conditions in many health disparity populations. As we expand the program this year, we will be able to dramatically increase our impact, ability to reduce health disparities and promote health equity.”
Through Project Health, the company hosts events at CVS Pharmacy locations offering free biometric screenings including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose level and body mass index to detect early risks of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease before they become life-threatening. Following these screenings, participants have the opportunity to meet with a nurse practitioner who can provide referrals for treatment and advice on follow-up care, which is particularly important given that some people have delayed or put off primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Health events are prioritizing the safety of employees, customers and patients by taking the necessary steps to follow CDC COVID-19 guidelines.
Since its inception in 2006, Project Health has delivered more than $134 million in free health care services to over one million Americans in diverse communities with large numbers of uninsured or underinsured people.
Patients can visit cvs.com/project-health to learn more about these events and how they can safely prioritize their health by receiving a no-cost screening.
