President Obama's New Preventive Healthcare Guidelines

by Alex A. Kecskes

Under President Obama's new healthcare guidelines, some preventive health care will be available at no out-of-pocket cost. Things like childhood immunizations, for example. These may require no copays, deductibles, or coinsurance—providing your health insurance plan is covered by the new requirements.

This preventive care does carry an upfront cost. Premiums may go up by 1.5 percent or more as spending for these services is spread across millions of insured people. The prevention requirements take effect for health plans renewing on or after September 23, so most beneficiaries may see them starting January 1. Medicare recipients may also have access to most preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost.

Under the new requirements, health insurance plans must cover the following at no additional charge to their insured members:

Women’s health screenings are still in development and not expected to be announced until August 2011.

Large employer plans may not be impacted by these new requirements if they are “grandfathered’’ under the new health law. However, employers are expected to alter their plans and thus could lose their exemption and would need to comply.

For an added perspective, check out this video: