UnitedHealthcare and Bienvenidos Unveil New Community Mobile Health Clinic to Help Improve Access to Care in East Los Angeles
UnitedHealthcare and Bienvenidos Unveil New Community Mobile Health Clinic to Help Improve Access to Care in East Los Angeles
<0> UnitedHealthcareMatthew Yi, 714-226-3842orBienvenidosDeborah Villar, 213-785-5906 </0>
UnitedHealthcare and Bienvenidos today unveiled the new Community Mobile Health Clinic that will bring essential primary care health services to children and families in underserved communities in East Los Angeles.
The mobile clinic, made possible by a $41,000 grant by UnitedHealthcare, will be staffed by a physician or nurse practitioner to provide a range of health care services including primary care, vaccinations, health screenings and family-planning services.
“We thank UnitedHealthcare for partnering with Bienvenidos to fund this new mobile health clinic that will expand access to care for families in East Los Angeles,” said Ritchie Geisel, president and CEO, Bienvenidos. “The mobile unit will serve an area of Los Angeles where there is great need for preventive care and services, particularly among people who are most vulnerable, including young children.”
The mobile health clinic was unveiled at a community health fair today where hundreds of children, families and community leaders toured the mobile unit, received flu shots and health screenings for diabetes and hypertension, and checked their blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). Local health experts, along with UnitedHealthcare’s mascot Dr. Health E. Hound, provided tips on health, wellness and nutrition. Also in attendance were elected officials who joined Bienvenidos and UnitedHealthcare representatives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I have long fought to preserve and expand funding for Community Health Centers like Bienvenidos that provide essential access to better health for so many of my constituents. While the Affordable Care Act will offer greater access to insurance and care, it is our local health centers and their caregivers on the ground who will bring the promise of health care reform to fruition,” said U.S. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard.
This is the first mobile clinic Bienvenidos will operate in the region, offering health care services at schools in the area – including Torres High School, Wilson High School and Garfield High School – where Bienvenidos already operates health clinics. The mobile clinic will also be available at other nearby middle and elementary schools.
In addition, the Bienvenidos mobile health clinic will visit nearby parks, supermarkets and other community gathering places to expand its reach into areas with the greatest need for health services.
“We believe the Bienvenidos mobile health clinic will make a tremendous impact in East Los Angeles by bringing vital health services to underserved communities,” said Brandon Cuevas, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of California. “UnitedHealthcare is grateful for the opportunity to support Bienvenidos in its efforts to help enhance the health and quality of life for people in East Los Angeles.”
UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, serves more than 2.3 million Californians with a care provider network of 323 hospitals and more than 47,000 physicians statewide.
Bienvenidos is a non-profit community-based organization that delivers a comprehensive array of services including foster care, mental health therapy, community health clinics, school readiness and youth development.
UnitedHealth Group is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
