Health Beat: Walmart to offer free health check-ups on Saturday

Editor’s note: Each Wednesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Health Beat,” a round-up health-related topics.

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WALMART TO OFFER FREE HEALTH CHECK-UPS ON SATURDAY
For a four-hour period on Saturday, Oct. 15, Walmart will offer access to free health screenings, education, services and products at retail stores nationwide. Based on the impact of its nationwide health fair held last year, Walmart said it is again hosting the largest single-day health event in the nation with free health screenings expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of people, some of whom may be taking an active role in their health for the first time.

The newly named Walmart Wellness Day will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday in more than 4,600 Walmart stores across the country. The event will provide free blood glucose, blood pressure, vision screenings (where available), product samples and information on health insurance options. Additionally, more than 10,000 of Walmart’s licensed pharmacists will offer immunizations in all Walmart pharmacies in the U.S.

Also, Walmart is working with DirectHealth.com for the third straight year to help customers identify their health insurance needs, compare coverage options and enroll in plans. The customer open enrollment program for Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans – Healthcare Begins Here – will be available Oct. 15, 2016 through Jan. 31, 2017 in more than 2,300 Walmart stores, online and via phone.

HHS ENHANCES NATION’S HEALTH PREPAREDNESS FOR RADIOLOGICAL THREATS
As a part of its mission to help protect Americans’ health following a national radiological disaster, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is purchasing two medical products to treat injuries to bone marrow in victims of radiological or nuclear incidents.

The two products, called colony stimulating factors, stimulate bone marrow to produce blood cells including neutrophils that reduce the body’s risk of developing an infection and decrease risk of death from acute radiation syndrome. Bone marrow is essential to producing blood. Infections often occur after exposure to high doses of radiation. These types of products are used commonly to reduce the risk of infection in patients with cancer.

ASPR’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is purchasing the first of these two leukocyte growth factor products, called Neulasta, from Amgen USA under a $37.7 million agreement. BARDA will purchase the second product, called Leukine, from French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis for $37.6 million. Neulasta is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults and children exposed to high levels of radiation that damage bone marrow. BARDA will purchase both products using funding and authority provided through the Project BioShield Act of 2004.

AMERIGROUP TO EXPAND HEALTH COVERAGE IN TENNESSEE TO REACH DOCTORS THROUGH REMOTE ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES
Members of Amerigroup’s healthcare plans in Tennessee will have coverage for reaching doctors through remote access technologies starting in 2017. Members can contact a U.S.-based, board-certified network doctor on a secure connection over the Internet via a smart phone, tablet or computer. The plans will be sold during Medicare’s Annual Election period, which begins Oct 15 and continues through Dec. 7 with an effective Jan. 1, 2017, and will feature the ability to reach doctors for medical and behavioral health services through remote access technologies at $0 copay.

Doctors will be able send prescriptions if needed directly to a member’s pharmacy of choice where they may be paid by the member’s MA or Medicare prescription drug plan. A summary of each visit is created and can be forwarded to the patient’s primary care doctor with their permission, supporting continuity of care and collaboration among providers.