"Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-Many Benefits"

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