Marketing Consultants to the Overlooked Disabled Community
| Home Page |
| About Us |
| We Are Able |
| Clients |
| Did you Know? |
| What's New! |
| Self Test |
| Disorders |
| Hot Links / Sites |
| Contact Us |
|
Free Preventative Services
posted July 28, 2010
WASHINGTON - The Wall Street Journal reported treatments for prevention of alcohol abuse, depression, and obesity are among services which will be free to consumers with new insurance plans starting in September.
Under the new health law, the Obama administration released rules specifying which preventive health services insurers must provide to consumers at no added cost.
"Services like these will go a long way in preventing chronic illness," First Lady Michelle Obama said.
Under the provision, health plans initiated after Sept. 23 must cover preventive health services at no additional cost to the consumer. People who stay on their existing health plans won't benefit from the change.
For adults, covered services include mammograms, colonoscopies, and other cancer screenings; diabetes screenings; counseling for tobacco use, and certain types of pre-natal care. For children, it includes pediatric visits; vision and hearing screening; developmental assessments; immunizations, and obesity screenings.
Insurers say the changes won't be free since plans will have to raise premiums overall to offset the cost of covering these services. The Obama administration estimates the changes will increase the cost of premiums an average of 1.5% a year.
The regulations don't address a different slate of covered preventive services for women, which won't be determined until August 2011. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is pushing for birth control to be included in that segment of the regulations. Screenings for HIV and several other sexually-transmitted diseases qualify as free preventive care under the September guidelines.
"Avoiding unintended pregnancy is one of the most important medical issues for women," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. The group wants all types of prescription birth control that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to qualify as free preventive care.
Many preventive services, particularly vaccinations, are covered by most insurers. By 2013, the White House says, 88 million Americans will benefit from the changes. To set which services qualify as preventive, government officials relied largely on existing recommendations by three groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The task force drew criticism last year for recommending women delay annual mammogram services until 50, instead of 40. The health law effectively ignores that recommendation, making mammograms a covered preventive service at 40 under the law.
Often due to cost, Americans use preventive services at about half the suggested rate, states research cited by the White House. Chronic diseases, which are often preventable, are responsible for seven of 10 deaths among Americans each year and include 75% of the nation's health spending.
Among the obesity services to be covered are screenings to determine a person's body mass index, plus other detection and counseling services. Prenatal services will include screenings for iron deficiency. For children's immunizations, flu shots will be covered.
© 2009 Dow Jones & Co.
Under the provision, health plans initiated after Sept. 23 must cover preventive health services at no additional cost to the consumer. People who stay on their existing health plans won't benefit from the change.
For adults, covered services include mammograms, colonoscopies, and other cancer screenings; diabetes screenings; counseling for tobacco use, and certain types of pre-natal care. For children, it includes pediatric visits; vision and hearing screening; developmental assessments; immunizations, and obesity screenings.
Insurers say the changes won't be free since plans will have to raise premiums overall to offset the cost of covering these services. The Obama administration estimates the changes will increase the cost of premiums an average of 1.5% a year.
The regulations don't address a different slate of covered preventive services for women, which won't be determined until August 2011. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is pushing for birth control to be included in that segment of the regulations. Screenings for HIV and several other sexually-transmitted diseases qualify as free preventive care under the September guidelines.
"Avoiding unintended pregnancy is one of the most important medical issues for women," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood. The group wants all types of prescription birth control that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to qualify as free preventive care.
Many preventive services, particularly vaccinations, are covered by most insurers. By 2013, the White House says, 88 million Americans will benefit from the changes. To set which services qualify as preventive, government officials relied largely on existing recommendations by three groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The task force drew criticism last year for recommending women delay annual mammogram services until 50, instead of 40. The health law effectively ignores that recommendation, making mammograms a covered preventive service at 40 under the law.
Often due to cost, Americans use preventive services at about half the suggested rate, states research cited by the White House. Chronic diseases, which are often preventable, are responsible for seven of 10 deaths among Americans each year and include 75% of the nation's health spending.
Among the obesity services to be covered are screenings to determine a person's body mass index, plus other detection and counseling services. Prenatal services will include screenings for iron deficiency. For children's immunizations, flu shots will be covered.