Free Health Expo for the uninsured at Cobo Center Monday, April 28, includes health screenings and enrollment options for kids and adults. 

Detroit — Leaders throughout Wayne County including representatives of health systems, labor, business and government will launch Cover The Uninsured Week 2008 with a free health expo titled “Health Expo for the Uninsured,” Monday, April 28, 2008 at Cobo Hall from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  The expo is open to the public at no charge and there is no charge for parking.  The health expo is co-sponsored by Wayne County Health Choice, Health & Human Services Administration of Wayne County and the City of Detroit Department of Health  & Wellness Promotions.

The Health Expo for the Uninsured will offer free and low-cost health screenings, enrollment options for children and adults and health provider vendor booths.  Breakfast will be offered between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and lunch will be offered from 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. There is no cost to the participate for breakfast or lunch.

Examples of the screenings will be hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, dental, podiatry, STD & HIV, nutrition, relaxation and stress reduction, smoking cessation, lead testing, immunizations, body composition, vision, glaucoma, heart screening, stroke screening, emotional health and height & weight.

There will be three specific breakout sessions, one dealing with Medicaid/MiChild training, Health Coverage for Small Businesses in Wayne County and the Multi- Cultural Health Disparities.  This session will deal with the different health outcomes or status within the African American, Latino American and Arab American communities and how to resolve health disparities within these groups. 

Nearly one hundred vendors will be on hand to share health information, literature and give away items to all participants. 

“As the largest county in Michigan, Wayne County has the largest number or residents without health coverage — more than 280,000 residents,”  said County Executive Robert A. Ficano. “We’ve successfully expanded coverage to individuals and families through our Department of Health and Human Services and innovative programs like Health Choice and Four Star. However, more action is needed at the national level to ensure everyone has the healthy quality of life and peace of mind that come from having affordable, quality health care coverage.”

The “average” uninsured person is not necessarily poor, or without a job.  The majority of unemployed individuals today are without coverage due to a) choice; b) layoff: c) business closure, or d) economic circumstances.

“It is clear that Michigan with its poor economy and shrinking employment base is particularly vulnerable to the issue of the uninsured,” said Nancy Schlichting, founding member of the Network and president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. “Cover The Uninsured Week and the Network are opportunities for all parties to come together to advocate for solutions and influence opinion leaders and policy. As a state and as a nation, we cannot rest until we have solutions to this issue.”

Sponsors of the event are Wayne County Health Choice, Wayne County Health & Human Services, City of Detroit Health and Wellness Promotions Programs, Covered The Uninsured, The Michigan Connection and Project Health Living.  Events run through May 2.

For more information on the Cover the Uninsured Week activities including the Health Expo, call 313.833.3438, visit //www.mctun.org or www.covertheuninsured.org and click on “Michigan.”