The Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Health Care Reform law), as you may know, includes changes that are being phased in over a number of years.  Additional benefits for certain Women's Preventive Health Services is the latest set of changes to take effect.

Women's Preventive Health Benefits

For plans that renew or become effective on or after August 1, 2012, all of the following women's health services will be considered preventive.  Some of these services may have already been covered*. When provided in-network, these services generally will be covered at no cost share: 

• Well-woman visits (annually)
• Prenatal visits (routine preventive visits)
• Screening for gestational diabetes
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing
• Counseling for sexually transmitted infections
• Screening and counseling for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Counseling and screening for interpersonal and domestic violence
• Breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling
• Generic formulary contraceptives, certain brand formulary contraceptives, and FDA-approved, over-the-counter female contraceptives with prescription are covered without member cost share (for example, no copayment).  Certain religious organizations or religious employers may be exempt from offering contraceptive services.   

For more information on this latest change, please visit:

www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/regulations/womensprevention.html 

If you have any questions regarding this update or Health Care Reform in general, please do not hesitate to contact us.

*Some plans may be grandfathered and not subject to all of the requirements of the health care reform law.  Grandfathered plans may not include all of these benefits or member cost-sharing may apply.