University Hospital Volunteers Assist National 'Cover the Uninsured Week' Initiative

Cincinnati—University Hospital financial counselors and volunteers, in partnership with the Legal Aid Society, the Hamilton County Department of Jobs and Family Services and other partner organizations, will staff Medicaid screening and application stations at select area Kroger stores on Saturday, March 21, and Saturday, March 28, 2009, in support of Cover the Uninsured Week. 

"We are out there to promote change," said Fernando Rico-Alarcon, a University Hospital financial counselor who is coordinating the hospital's annual effort.  "There are many people who could be insured and don't realize it." 

Cover the Uninsured Week is a national initiative highlighting the many Americans who live without health insurance. Cover the Uninsured Week events seek not only to raise awareness of the availability of benefits such as Medicaid and Social Security among uninsured or underinsured citizens but also to spotlight for our nation's leaders the pressing need for universally affordable health care.

"If there is anything we can do not only to make the people of the community more proactive in their health, but also spare hospital costs, then we will do whatever it takes to educate anyone who does not have insurance," said Rico-Alarcon.

WHO:                          University Hospital - Financial Counseling

WHAT:                          Cover the Uninsured Week 2009

WHEN:                         March 21 – 28, 2009

WHERE:                       Medicaid application and information stations at select area Kroger stores; other locations and phone-a-thon TBA.

MORE INFO:                 Jonathan Goolsby, PR and Marketing Representative

513-584-7035 (office)

513-577-1855 (pager)

jonathan.goolsby@healthall.com

WEB:                           http://www.universityhospitalcincinnati.com     

                                    http://covertheuninsured.org

University Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system of physicians and hospitals serving Greater Cincinnati.  University Hospital provides primary care and specialized inpatient and outpatient services to more than 500,000 patients per year.  It is home to Greater Cincinnati's only adult Level I Trauma Center, accredited helicopter ambulance service and multi-solid organ transplant center.  University Hospital is consistently ranked in U.S. News & World Report's annual guide to America's Best Hospitals.