HEALTH INSURANCE – Must Know Fact:
Most Health plans, including the Marketplace and private insurance plans MUST cover a set of preventive services like shots and screening tests at no cost to the insured:
Required Preventive Care Services
For ALL Insured:
- Screening for alcohol misuse, blood pressure, depression, and HIV for those at high risk
- Immunization vaccines
- Prevention counseling for sexually transmitted infections (STI) for those at higher risk
For Adults:
- Screening for aspirin use for certain ages, cholesterol for certain ages or those at higher risk, colorectal cancer screening for adults over 50, Type 2 diabetes for adults with high blood pressure, obesity, and tobacco use. Tobacco use cessation interventions.
- Diet counseling
For Women
- Gynecological and obstetrical care including screenings, when needed for anemia, BRCA genetic testing, breast cancer mammography, cervical cancer (for women at high risk), and other conditions.
- Well-woman visits and comprehensive support and consoling for breastfeeding for pregnant and nursing women.
- Contraception with FDA-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and education and counseling, not including abortifacient drugs.
For Men
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm one-time screening (for men of specified ages who have never smoked).
For Children
- Screening for autism, behavioral disorders, blood disorders, congenital hypothyroidism, developmental progress including height, weight and body mass index, hearing, lead poisoning, oral health, phenylketonuria (PKI), tuberculin testing and vision.