By Bryan Thompson
Officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimate that more than 1.3 million Kansans now have private health insurance that includes preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost. See the report here.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Kansans have access to preventive services, including vaccinations, well-baby visits, and diabetes and blood pressure screenings,” HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said.
“These services can substantially improve the health of families, and in some cases even save lives. We urge all individuals with health care coverage to take advantage of these services.” To meet the standards set by the Affordable Care Act, health insurance plans must offer a range of preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. These services include things like annual wellness check-ups, cancer screenings and recommended immunizations.
The idea is to encourage people to stay on top of their health and catch serious health conditions like cancer or diabetes as early as possible. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas spokeswoman Mary Beth Chambers said she was somewhat startled by the HHS estimate of 1.3 million people for a state with a population of 2.9 million. “That number just seems high to me, to say that 1.3 million Kansans are in health plans that offer no-cost preventive services to them,” she said.
The preventive services coverage only applies to health plans that were new on or after Sept. 23, 2010, Chambers said. Plans that were in effect before that date are grandfathered and don’t have to offer those benefits, she said, and 80 percent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas members are in those older plans.
Whether the estimate is accurate or not, Chambers agreed with Burwell about the importance of the preventive benefits. “The bottom line is that it is true that the ACA has created access to no-cost-sharing preventive services and that Kansans with these ACA-compliant plans should take advantage of these services as a way to improve their overall health,” she said. “Regardless of the numbers, that is the most important aspect of the story.”
Chambers advises anyone whose coverage includes preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost to mention that when scheduling appointments to ensure proper billing. If services are provided beyond what’s included in a preventive screening, patients can be responsible for some charges. For example, Chambers said a screening for colorectal cancer would be covered at no charge to the patient. However, if the screening results in a diagnosis of cancer, any services required to treat that cancer may not be considered part of the preventive services.
Bryan Thompson is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.