Are You Healthy?

Healthcare Policy Expert, Robin Scott, is a contributing blogger for Protestants for the Common Good.

When is the last time you were screened for blood pressure and cholesterol?  Or have you ever been screened for them?  If you’re a woman, have you had a mammogram on a regular basis?  If you are pregnant, have you been screened for gestational diabetes?

Now you have an opportunity to receive important preventive covered services, including screenings , for all types of illnesses without extra cost.   Your Medicare or private insurance plan is required to cover these services without copayment.  That has already happened, and it’s thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

There are 16 covered preventive services for adults, including screening for blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal cancer, obesity and depression.  There are screening services particular to women like mammograms as well as screening services for high-risk and pregnant women.  Screening services for pregnant women include gestational diabetes and anemia.  Currently, gestational diabetes range from 2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States.  Screenings for women at high risk, include screening for gonorrhea, syphilis, and osteoporosis.

As of August 1, 2012, even more provisions for preventive covered services for women went into effect. (These are for new plans starting on or after August 1. Health plans that existed before the health care law are considered “grandfathered” into the new system.  Grandfathered plans don’t have to follow the new preventive services coverage rules.  This means the plan can continue to operate just as it has until it makes significant changes to the plan.  However, a survey found that 90% of all large companies expect that their health plans will lose their grandfathered status by 2014.)

About 47 million women, including an estimated 2 million in Illinois, have guaranteed access to additional preventive services without paying more at the doctor’s office.  These include breastfeeding support and counseling, screening for domestic and interpersonal violence, well women visits. These services have been identified by the Institute of Medicine and endorsed by the Health Resources and Services Administration.

FDA approved contraceptive methods and patient education and counseling are included in the prevention services.  There has been much controversy about how these provisions affect religious institutions.  According to the law, a segment of religious employers such as churches and other houses of worship are exempt from this contraceptive coverage requirement.