Nearly 70 Percent of Insured Patients in Pittsburgh Are Covered at New, Walk-in Health Centers

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Take Care Health Systems, a leading independent operator of convenient care clinics, will begin accepting Highmark insurance at all Take Care Health Centers located in Pittsburgh-area Eckerd Pharmacies starting December 1, the company announced today. The centers, staffed by Take Care Nurse Practitioners, offer patients over 18-months old diagnosis and treatment of common ailments such as strep throat and pink eye. Insured residents can now visit a Take Care Health Center for usually the cost of a co-pay or co-insurance.

“Since Take Care Health Centers opened in Pittsburgh in September, the community has embraced this high-quality, affordable and convenient health care choice,” said Rochelle Latkanich, Lead Take Care Nurse Practitioner in Pittsburgh. “We are proud to work with health benefits plans that cover close to 70 percent of the greater Pittsburgh area’s insured residents. Getting care at any of the Take Care Health Center locations in the Pittsburgh area is quick, convenient and affordable.”

Take Care Health Centers do not require appointments and are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They are located inside the following Eckerd Pharmacies:

Bridgeville - 417 Chartiers Street 

Greensburg - 314 East Pittsburgh Street* 

Monroeville - 4011 William Penn Highway

Irwin - 8775 Norwin Avenue*

Fox Chapel - 1125-1135 Freeport Road

Lower Burrell - 3200 Oregon Drive*

Crafton – 200 Crafton Ingram Shopping Center

Rochester - 351 Brighton Avenue*

Seven Fields - 100 Seven Fields Boulevard

Opening Soon! Kittanning - 165 Butler Road 

*Locations open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Insurance plans covering a visit to Take Care Health Centers in Pittsburgh include:

Highmark HealthAmerica

UnitedHealthcare - All commercial plans and Medicare Complete HealthAssurance

Humana - PPO/Classic First Health/CCN

Humana Medicare - Gold PFFS/HumanaChoice PPO Medicare (Traditional/Part B) 

“With the addition of Highmark to Take Care Health Center’s list of accepted insurance plans, the clinics are even more convenient and affordable for consumers in Pittsburgh,” said Dan Haron, Senior Vice-President of Pharmacy, Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy. “We are committed to delivering the highest standards of customer service and are very pleased to offer this type of high-quality care option to our Western Pennsylvania customers.”

For uninsured patients, the average fee ranges from $59-$74 per visit.

In addition to treating common ailments, Take Care Nurse Practitioners are licensed to write prescriptions and also administer basic diagnostic screenings, some physicals and vaccinations. Currently, flu shots are available seven days a week, without an appointment at all Take Care Health Center locations.

Through a patient-first philosophy, Take Care Nurse Practitioners work in collaboration with the medical community to maintain referral networks and continuity of care for patients. They use an electronic medical record system, providing printed copies of the visit record to the patient, and faxing or communicating with the patient’s primary care provider upon request. Take Care Health encourages all patients to have a primary care provider, and will help patients find such a provider if they need one.

About Take Care Health Systems

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com) is a leading independent operator of convenient care clinics. Take Care Health's vision is to combine best practices in medicine and the expertise and personal care of Take Care Nurse Practitioners to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable health care to Americans. Take Care Health has a 98 percent patient satisfaction rating at its 36 health care centers and has treated close to 60,000 patients since November 2005. Take Care Health is a founding member of the Convenient Care Association (CCA).

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Contacts
for Take Care Health Systems
Tracey Belko, 212-446-1899

© Business Wire 2006