Health News
One instance is a provision under the ACA that requires insurance plans[i] to provide important preventative health procedures to beneficiaries, without any cost-sharing measures (such as co-pays). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released information on how this provision will benefit Americans.
- Next Phase Of Health Reform: New And Renewed Insurance Policies Will Have To Cover Birth Control, Other Preventive Care For Women
Even though the decision was widely expected, as part of health care reform, the news is still what Julie Rovner of National Public Radio termed "a pretty big deal." Earlier this week, she reports, the Department of Health and Human Services adopted in...
- What?s In The New Health Care Law For Women? Well-woman Visits That Can Improve Your Health
As an emergency physician, I tend to work on the other side of preventive care services. I see what happens when women don?t know about safer sex and birth control, and end up with complications from sexually transmitted infections. I see what happens...
- The Affordable Care Act Turns 2: Help Tell The Story That #healthcareworks
This Friday, March 23rd marks the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. All across the country, advocacy groups will celebrate the law with educational events to help tell the story that #HealthCareWorks. As the law heads to the Supreme Court...
- The Affordable Care Act: Helping Women Prevent Cervical Cancer
January is National Cervical Cancer Health Awareness month. One goal this month is to bring awareness to the preventative role that routine Pap tests play. The American Cancer Society states that Pap tests can actually prevent the disease and that early...
- Illinois Nonprofit Leader Appointed By President Obama To Serve On Affordable Care Act Advisory Group
As part of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama established the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion and Integrative and Public Health. The inaugural meeting of this Advisory Group is April 12-13, 2011 in Washington DC. An agenda for the...
Health News
The ACA Expands Preventative Care for 2,390,000 Illinoisans
To many, the cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is its emphasis on providing Americans with access to important preventative care. The benefits of preventative care have been discussed in this blog before, in the context of chronic disease , breast cancer and cervical cancer.
How exactly, then, is the ACA expanding access to preventative health care?
The list of important preventative health procedures was determined based on guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Due to the ACA, children have gained access to regular pediatrician visits, immunizations, important vision and hearing screenings and developments assessments, as well as screening for obesity and counseling on how to maintain a healthy weight. Both men and women have gained access to recommended immunizations and flu shots; cancer screenings (including colonoscopies and, for women, pap smears and mammograms); obesity screening and healthy diet counseling; screening for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, depression and HIV; and tobacco use counseling. In addition, starting in 2014, women will be covered sexually-transmitted infection screening, and other services specific to women, such as gestational diabetes screening and contraception.
While many people with health insurance were already covered for these preventative health procedures, many were not: 31% of those who had health insurance through their employer have seen an expansion in their benefits?that?s 54 million Americans! In Illinois, the impact is among the biggest: 605,000 children, 898,000 women and 887,000 men have gained new access to expanded preventative health care. That is 2,390,000 Illinoisans, total, who have directly benefitted from the prevention expansions in the ACA!
I am proud to serve on the Administration?s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health, established by the Affordable Care Act, where we will continue to develop policy and program recommendations, and advise the National Prevention Council on lifestyle-based chronic disease prevention and management, integrative health care practices, and health promotion
I am proud to serve on the Administration?s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health, established by the Affordable Care Act, where we will continue to develop policy and program recommendations, and advise the National Prevention Council on lifestyle-based chronic disease prevention and management, integrative health care practices, and health promotion
Barbara Otto
Health & Disability Advocates, Chief Executive Officer
[i] Excluding plans that have Grandfather status
- Next Phase Of Health Reform: New And Renewed Insurance Policies Will Have To Cover Birth Control, Other Preventive Care For Women
Even though the decision was widely expected, as part of health care reform, the news is still what Julie Rovner of National Public Radio termed "a pretty big deal." Earlier this week, she reports, the Department of Health and Human Services adopted in...
- What?s In The New Health Care Law For Women? Well-woman Visits That Can Improve Your Health
As an emergency physician, I tend to work on the other side of preventive care services. I see what happens when women don?t know about safer sex and birth control, and end up with complications from sexually transmitted infections. I see what happens...
- The Affordable Care Act Turns 2: Help Tell The Story That #healthcareworks
This Friday, March 23rd marks the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. All across the country, advocacy groups will celebrate the law with educational events to help tell the story that #HealthCareWorks. As the law heads to the Supreme Court...
- The Affordable Care Act: Helping Women Prevent Cervical Cancer
January is National Cervical Cancer Health Awareness month. One goal this month is to bring awareness to the preventative role that routine Pap tests play. The American Cancer Society states that Pap tests can actually prevent the disease and that early...
- Illinois Nonprofit Leader Appointed By President Obama To Serve On Affordable Care Act Advisory Group
As part of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama established the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion and Integrative and Public Health. The inaugural meeting of this Advisory Group is April 12-13, 2011 in Washington DC. An agenda for the...