05.01.13
About 71 million Americans in private health insurance plans received coverage for at least one free preventative healthcare service, such as a mammogram or flu shot, in 2011 and 2012 because of the Affordable Care Act, according to new data released by the Health and Human Services (HHS) department. Additionally, an estimated 34 million Americans in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans have received at least one preventative service, such as an annual wellness visit at no out-of-pocket cost because of the healthcare law. As a result, about 105 million Americans with private health plans and Medicare beneficiaries have been helped by the Affordable Care Act’s prevention coverage improvements.
According to HHS, the Affordable Care Act is giving Americans better value for their health insurance plans by eliminating lifetime dollar caps on essential health benefits and phasing out annual caps; prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage to children based on a pre-existing condition, as well as making it illegal for companies to deny anyone coverage because of a pre-existing condition starting in 2014; and making it illegal for an insurer to charge women more simply because they are women.
According to HHS, the Affordable Care Act is giving Americans better value for their health insurance plans by eliminating lifetime dollar caps on essential health benefits and phasing out annual caps; prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage to children based on a pre-existing condition, as well as making it illegal for companies to deny anyone coverage because of a pre-existing condition starting in 2014; and making it illegal for an insurer to charge women more simply because they are women.