Posted 10:16 am Thursday, August 02, 2012
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Preventative Health Services For Women In Effect From Affordable Care Act
New preventive health provisions under the Affordable Care Act go into effect today. The law offers free preventive services to women who will now have access to eight prevention-related health care services without paying out of pocket.
About 47 million women are in health plans that must cover these new preventive services at no charge, U.S. Health and Human Services officials announced.
The prevention-related services are: Well-woman visits; gestational diabetes screening; domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling; FDA-approved contraceptive methods and contraceptive education and counseling; breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; HPV-DNA testing for women 30 or older; sexually transmitted infections counseling for sexually-active women; HIV screening and counseling for sexually-active women.
About 47 million women are in health plans that must cover these new preventive services at no charge, U.S. Health and Human Services officials announced.
The prevention-related services are: Well-woman visits; gestational diabetes screening; domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling; FDA-approved contraceptive methods and contraceptive education and counseling; breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; HPV-DNA testing for women 30 or older; sexually transmitted infections counseling for sexually-active women; HIV screening and counseling for sexually-active women.
Previously some insurance companies did not cover these preventive services for women at all under their health plans, while some women had to pay deductibles or co-pays for the care.
The services are based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, which relied on independent physicians, nurses, scientists, and other experts.
The services are based on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, which relied on independent physicians, nurses, scientists, and other experts.
Group health plans and issuers that have maintained grandfathered status are not required to cover these services. In addition, certain nonprofit religious organizations, such as churches and schools, are not required to cover these services.
