Free health care

This is a brilliant marketing move and a wonderfully compassionate response to the economic downturn. "Walgreens will offer free clinic visits to the unemployed and uninsured for the rest of the year, providing tests and routine treatment for minor ailments through its walk-in clinics _ though patients will still pay for precriptions."

Walgreen said patients who lose their job and health insurance after March 31 will be able to get free treatment at its in-store Take Care clinics for respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions, among other ailments. Typically those treatments cost $59 or more for patients with no insurance. ...

Free services will be offered only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walgreen said it will not offer free checkups, vaccinations or other injections because it is focusing on providing services patients might otherwise get at an urgent-care center or even an emergency room. ...

Medical lab operator Quest Diagnostics is participating in the program by offering free tests for step throat and urinary tract infections.

The proof of unemployment is pretty stringent and requires forms that not all unemployed people will have, but still, it's a great public service for those who qualify.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]