One very positive change coming from the Affordable Care Act was to mandate that “Preventive Care” benefits be provided at no cost to policyholders who are covered under ACA compliant health insurance plans. Eliminating cost-sharing increases the likelihood that preventive services will be used. There are no waiting periods or other limitations that you must satisfy before using your preventive care benefits – it is available to you as soon as your coverage is effective…..and it is FREE.
Preventive Care benefits under the ACA are broader than our traditional understanding. In addition to the annual physical, adults can receive screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal cancer, depression, diabetes, and obesity screening and counseling. Additional preventive services for women include breast cancer, cervical cancer & osteoporosis screenings and certain care for pregnant women. Children will receive recommended immunizations, screenings for a number of conditions, and monitoring of their developmental progress. A more complete list can be found at www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits
There are no negative consequences of Preventive Care, only improvements in health, quality of life, and economic impact. From the CDC (Center for Disease Control):
• Preventing disease before it starts (or advances) is critical to helping people live longer, healthier lives and keeping health care costs down.
• Counseling on topics such as quitting smoking, losing weight, better nutrition, treating depression, and reducing alcohol can improve health and reduce costs by preventing illness
• Routine vaccinations can help prevent diseases such as measles or chicken pox; as well as flu and certain kinds of pneumonia
• Wellness visits, prenatal care, and routine screenings can improve health and prevent illness
• Health problems are a major drain on the economy, resulting in 69 million workers reporting missed days due to illness each year and reducing economic output by $260 billion.
www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/ToolsTemplates/EntertainmentEd/Tips/PreventiveHealth.html
Some Nebraska statistics
64.1% of adults age 18 and over are overweight, with a Body Mass Index of 25 or more
26.9% are obese, with a Body Mass Index of 30 or more
(Source: September, 2012 Nebraska State Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Profile, CDC)
27% of adults in Nebraska reported having high blood pressure and 37% of those screened had high cholesterol
(Source: 2008 Nebraska: Burden of Chronic Diseases, CDC)
Preventive Services / Screenings for adult women
No mammogram within past 2 years (age 40+) 29%
No pap smear within past 3 years (age 18+) 25%
No colonoscopy ever (age 50+) 37%
(Source: 2011-2012 Annual Report Nebraska Office of Women’s Health, DHHS)
Response
Schedule a “Preventive Care” appointment with your doctor.
by Chris McPike, Vice President
402-488-5100