Listening to the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Debate this past Monday evening, I was very disappointed in the way in which all seven presidential hopefuls addressed the recently passed Health Care Law. To a candidate, they all urged repeal of this law in the most vehment terms. Not even one of these candidates made the effort to balance their comments by mentioning many of the positive preventative effects of this law. Shouldn't we expect more? It is obvious from the signs shown in this blog that many citizens are being badly misled.
Listed below, are many of the new preventative measures that will become effective as of July 1st of this year for both adults and children. No longer will insurance companies be able to require deductibles,coinsurance and copayments on these services.
PREVENTIVE SERVICES FOR ADULTS:
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening for men of
specified ages who have ever smoked
Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
Anemia screening on a routine basis for pregnant women
Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant
women
Blood Pressure screening
BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk
Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at
higher risk
Breast Cancer Mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years
for women over 40
Breast Feeding interventions to support and promote breast
feeding
Cervical Cancer screening for sexually active women
Chlamydia Infection screening for younger women and other
women at higher risk
Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50
Depression screening
Diabetes Type 2 screening for adults with high blood pressure
Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal
visit
HIV screening for all adults at higher risk
Immunization vaccines —(recommendations vary for doses,
ages, and populations)
Obesity screening and counseling
Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on
risk factors
Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and
follow-up testing for women at higher risk
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling
for adults at higher risk
Syphilis screening for pregnant women and adults at higher risk
Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all adults, and
expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
COVERED PREVENTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN
Alcohol and Drug Use assessments for adolescents
Autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months
Behavioral assessments
Blood Pressure screening
Cervical Dysplasia screening for sexually active females
Congenital Hypothyroidism screening for newborns
Depression screening for adolescents at higher risk
Developmental screening for children under age 3, and
surveillance throughout childhood
Dyslipidemia screening for children at higher risk of lipid
disorders
Fluoride Chemoprevention supplements for children without
fluoride in their water source
Gonorrhea preventive medication for the eyes of all newborns
Hearing screening for all newborns
Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index measurements
Hematocrit or Hemoglobin screening
Hemoglobinopathies or sickle cell screening for newborns
HIV screening for adolescents at higher risk
Immunization vaccines for children from birth to age 18 —
(recommendations vary for doses, ages, and populations)
Iron supplements for children ages 6 to 12 months at risk for
anemia
Lead screening for children at risk of exposure
Obesity screening and counseling
Oral Health risk assessment for young children
Phenylketonuria (PKU) screening for this genetic disorder in
newborns
Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention
counseling and screening for adolescents at higher risk
Tuberculin testing for children at higher risk of tuberculosis
Vision screening
