Health Care Reform and Annuals

[dballard2004]

I have someone in my organization telling me that under the new healthcare reform law, providers can no longer charge co-pays for annual physicials. Has anyone else heard this and you provide me with written guidance showing this, please?

Thanks.

 

[RebeccaWoodward*]

Dawson,

See if you find what you're looking for here:

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/preventive/index.html

 

[dballard2004]

Thanks! So if I am understanding this correctly, no co-pays for the list of preventative services listed for all plans? Am I interpreting this correctly?

 

[RebeccaWoodward*]

This is how I'm interpreting this.

Removes Financial Barriers to Preventive Care

The new rules – which eliminate cost-sharing for preventive services – will bring peace of mind to many Americans who delay or skip important preventive care because of costs.[2]

Nationally, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate.[3] An estimated 11 million children and 59 million adults have private insurance that does not cover adequately cover immunization, for instance.[4] Cost-sharing (including deductibles, co-insurance, or copayments) reduces the likelihood that preventive services will be used. One study found that the rate of women getting a mammogram went up as much as 9 % when cost-sharing was removed.[5]

 

[dballard2004]

Thanks so much for this info!