The 13 Take Care Clinics in the Pittsburgh area have begun offering free clinic visits to patients who become unemployed and uninsured. Qualifying members of patients' families also will be able to get free services.

The offer, which began March 31 and runs to the end of the year, is available at all the Take Care Clinics located inside Walgreens stores.

"We see quite a percentage of patients who do not have health insurance," said Sheila Hughes, a lead nurse practitioner for clinics in the Pittsburgh market. She added that about 30 percent of their patients pay cash for health services.

Under the Take Care Recovery Plan, people need to be established as a clinic patient first, before losing their job and insurance. Uninsured family members then can qualify as well.

Under the plan, patients 18 months and older can be seen Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no limit on the number of visits. Treatments otherwise cost $59 or more. Quest Diagnostics will partner with the program and offer free tests for strep throat and urinary tract infections.

Not included are checkups, vaccinations or other injections, which are part of the clinics' wellness services.

"We take care of anyone who isn't feeling well," said Ms. Hughes. The clinic is not, however, a full-service primary care center, and it is not equipped to serve people who need emergency care.

"People are coming in with chest pain, open, gaping wounds," she said. "When we have someone who comes in like that, we send them to the hospital. We assess them, do first aid, sometimes call an ambulance." People with chronic conditions are referred to other health care providers.

"We have a whole list of local resources in the community for people who need help with their care," she said. That includes child and state health care assistance plans.

Prescriptions are not part of the Recovery Plan, but clinic staff can help patients find resources to help them.

"Most people say they come to our clinics because they're affordable and convenient," Ms. Hughes said. Every site has a nurse practitioner during clinic hours. Ms. Hughes monitors seven sites; Donna White is lead nurse practitioner for the remaining six.

Ms. Hughes, of New Stanton, said the program was aligned with the company's founding premise to provide high-quality, affordable health care.

"Every person has a right to health care," she said.

For more information on the terms and conditions of the plan, see www.takecarerecoveryplan.com or call 1-866-825-3227. Forms and other instructions to qualify for the plan before a patient visit can be found on the Web site.

Take Care Clinics are located in these Pittsburgh area Walgreens: 1741 Washington Road, Bethel Park; 6906 University Blvd., Coraopolis; 112 W. Steuben St., Crafton; 600 Adams Shoppes, Mars; 2455 Leechburg Road, New Kensington; 324 Hulton Road, Oakmont; 6201 Saltsburg Road, Penn Hills; 4885 McKnight Road, Ross; 5956 Penn Circle South, East Liberty; 4 Old Clairton Road, Pleasant Hills; 100 Rhode Island Ave., Rochester; 180 W. Main St., Uniontown; 99 Jefferson Ave., Washington.