10 Aug MEDICAL MOMENT: NEW HEALTHCARE LAW & WOMEN
Telluride Inside… and Out is proud to feature the Telluride Medical Center‘s MEDICAL MOMENT, a weekly column that answers common medical questions in pop culture. Have a question for the doctors? Click here to send.
Gordon Reichard, Executive Director, Telluride Medical Center
Gordon Reichard answers this week’s question:
- “WHAT DOES THE NEW HEALTHCARE LAW MEAN FOR WOMEN?”
So, here is the scoop.
Effective August 1, 2012, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, forty-seven million women now have access to eight new prevention-related health care services without paying more out of their own pocket.
The eight new prevention-related services are:
Well-woman visits
Gestational diabetes screening that helps protect pregnant women from one of the most serious pregnancy-related diseases
Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling
FDA-approved contraceptive methods, and contraceptive education and counseling
Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
HPV DNA testing, for women 30 or older
Sexually transmitted infections counseling for sexually-active women
HIV screening and counseling for sexually-active women
Services will be provided regardless of Grandfathered Status. Some carriers will provide this benefit immediately, others will provide as they renew August 1, 2012 or later.
Previously some insurance companies did not cover these preventive services for women at all under their health plans, while others paid deductibles or copays for the care they needed.
In short, American women have access more than ever to life-saving preventive care free of charge.
Men and children are also able to take advantage of preventive services at no extra charge under the health care law. Services include flu shots; other immunizations; and depression, cancer, high blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, please visit www.healthcare.gov.
Editor’s note: The Telluride Medical Center is the only 24-hour emergency facility within 65 miles. You can choose your own medical provider visit with a specialist or take advantage of their Mountain Skin Care services. As a mountain town in a challenging, remote environment, a thriving medical center is vital to our community’s health. For more Medical Moments on TIO, Click Here.
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