SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (April 8, 2026) – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Banner Health on Tuesday to tour the fully integrated health system’s innovative prevention and early disease detection programs that are delivering measurable results in community health across Arizona.
During his visit to Banner Sports Medicine High Performance Center, Secretary Kennedy toured Banner's BIG Pink Bus mobile mammography unit and Healthmobile, a mobile pediatric clinic, which bring critical preventive services directly into underserved communities. The Secretary met with Banner leadership to discuss how the organization's integrated nonprofit care and coverage model aims to keep communities healthy through prevention rather than focusing only when people get sick. These include Banner’s work to keep seniors healthy through healthy food delivery and connection time at its Banner Olive Branch Senior Center in Sun City, Ariz.; active community children’s fitness programs sponsored by Banner’s Sports Medicine Center in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and the more than 1,300 residents and fellows trained annually at Banner to develop the next generation of physicians to create greater access to care.
“Thank you, Amy Perry, and the entire Banner Health team, for leading the way in prevention and delivering care directly to the communities that need it most,” said Secretary Kennedy. “When we prioritize prevention, detect disease early, and confront the root causes of illness before they take hold, providers can drive a fundamental shift—from a reactive sick-care system to a true health care system that will Make America Healthy Again.”
Their discussion focused on Banner's comprehensive approach to early disease detection and community-based wellness programs, highlighting how Banner's prevention-first model is achieving measurable results. Preventative services like these help reduce long-term health care costs by keeping communities healthy rather than treating preventable diseases. Among Banner’s successes in wellness are a 114% increase in colorectal cancer screenings and a more than 1,100% increase in blood pressure checks among Medicaid members.
"As a nonprofit health system, every dollar we earn is invested into our care, services, technology, talent and communities," said Amy Perry, president and chief executive officer of Banner Health. "Our mobile screening programs and prevention initiatives demonstrate how we're pioneering a sustainable approach to American health care that reduces overall health spending by catching diseases early and keeping people healthy and empowered. We believe this integrated model of prevention and community health investment can serve as a blueprint for health systems across the nation."
Bringing critical preventive services to underserved communities
During his visit, Secretary Kennedy toured Banner's mobile screening programs that are bringing preventive care directly to underserved communities. Since launching in May 2024, Banner's BIG Pink Bus mobile mammography unit has screened nearly 1,000 women for breast cancer, with 18% being first-time screeners. The mobile unit addresses a critical gap – nearly one-third of Arizona women do not receive this life-saving screening, which has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths by up to 40%.
Banner's pediatric screening initiatives serve more than 3,000 uninsured children annually through Banner Children's Community Clinics and an additional 500 children through the Banner Children's Healthmobile. These programs provide primary care, behavioral health screenings, specialty care referrals, and sports physicals to families facing language and transportation barriers.
Secretary Kennedy's visit highlights growing federal interest in scalable prevention models that Banner is pioneering – approaches that can improve health outcomes while reducing costs across the nation's health care system.
About Banner Health
Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar intoadvancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information,visit bannerhealth.com/about.
For further information contact us at: [email protected]
