Blog: Continued success from the Affordable Care Act

Press Release

More good news coming from the Affordable Care Act that was signed into law last year. Following last week's recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced yesterday that all new health insurance plans will cover birth control as a preventive service for women, in addition to annual well-woman exams, breastfeeding tools, and a range of other services without co-pays, co-insurance or a deductible. This is a good step towards ensuring that all women have access to both the preventative care and the health care they need.

From the New York Times:

The requirements apply to insurance in years starting on or after Aug. 1, 2012. They take effect in January 2013 for insurance plans that operate on the basis of a calendar year.

Supporters of the new requirement said it would go a long way toward removing cost as a barrier to birth control, a longtime goal of advocates for women's rights and experts on women's health. But the requirement does not immediately help women who have no health insurance.

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A major goal of the law is to increase the use of preventive services like mammograms, colonoscopies, blood pressure checks and childhood immunizations. The law generally bans co-payments, deductibles and other charges for preventive services recommended by expert professional organizations. The law directed federal health officials to pay attention to the health needs of women in particular when listing preventive services that must be covered.

The new standards require coverage of the full range of contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration, as well as sterilization procedures. Among the drugs and devices that must be covered are emergency contraceptives including pills known as ella and Plan B.

Source