May 2, 2005

Cover The Uninsured Week

Several local organizations joined forces today to hold a health and enrollment fair at Benavidez Elementary School, 6262 Gulfton in Houston for the residents of Houston/Harris County as part of Cover the Uninsured Week.  Other fairs are taking place at various locations throughout the week.

The fair offered dozens of free screenings and services, including vision, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and nutrition screenings, bone density scans, heart attack prevention screenings, ultrasounds, pre-natal care, Texas CHIP and Gold Card enrollment and Medicare applications. 

"Nearly 5.37 million residents of Texas do not have health care coverage," said Barbara Best, Houston director of the Children's Defense Fund of Texas.  "As a result of being uninsured, they often do not get the health screenings and preventive care they need.  Today's fair is a chance for the uninsured to receive this needed care and for us to remind our nation's leaders of the impact of their inaction on this issue."

Other Cover the Uninsured Week activities taking place in the Houston area include a small business seminar for owners and employees on Thursday, May 5, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the University of Houston Small Business Development Center, 2302 Fannin, Suite 200.

Cover the Uninsured Week in Houston/Harris County is funded primarily by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy dedicated exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans.

visit www.CoverTheUninsuredWeek.org/events for a complete listing of events in Houston/Harris County and around the country. 

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Gulf Coast E-news is a publication of Guidry News Service, with offices at 1818 Church in Galveston, covering posted public meetings in Galveston County, Jefferson County and Harris County.  For additional information, or to order a free, one-week complimentary subscription to Gulf Coast E-news, email News@guidrynews.com.   Telephone (409) 763-6397 (763-NEWS)

For photos and recordings of meetings and special events, visit The Online News Station at www.guidrynews.com.