Preventive Care Coverage Guidelines
Posted on: August 26, 2014Categories: HR & Compliance
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires non-grandfathered health plans to cover certain preventive health services without imposing cost-sharing requirements for the services. This requirement generally became effective for plan years beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010. It does not apply to grandfathered health plans.
On July 19, 2010, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and the Treasury (Departments) issued interim final rules relating to coverage of preventive care services.
In August 2011, HHS issued additional preventive care guidelines for women. These additional guidelines, which generally became effective for plan years beginning on or after Aug. 1, 2012, require non-grandfathered health plans to cover women’s preventive health services (such as well-woman visits, breastfeeding support, domestic violence screening and contraceptives) without charging a copayment, a deductible or coinsurance.
Special rules regarding contraceptive coverage apply to religious employers, including churches and other religious-based institutions, such as schools, hospitals, charities and universities.
Coverage of Preventive Care Services
For plan years beginning on or after Sept. 23, 2010, non-grandfathered group health plans must cover certain preventive care services and may not charge copayments, coinsurance or deductibles for these services when delivered by a network provider.
The recommended preventive care services covered by these requirements are:
- Evidence-based items or services that have in effect a rating of A or B in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force;
- Immunizations for routine use in children, adolescents and adults that are currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and included on the CDC’s immunization schedules;
- For infants, children and adolescents, evidence-informed preventive care and screenings provided for in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) guidelines; and
- For women, evidence-informed preventive care and screening provided in guidelines supported by HRSA (for plan years beginning on or after Aug. 1, 2012).
The list of recommended preventive services is available through HHS at: www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits.
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