Advertisements for $5 flu shots really bring about a lot to ponder about.
It’s time we all start talking about health care reform — and attempt to put it in the easy layman’s terms for our readers — since the Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly called Obamacare, took came into effect since March 2010.
One important provision of the law, which is worth looking at and making sense of it, is this:
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“Insurers must cover A- and B-level preventive services, such as screenings and immunizations recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, with no co-payments or deductibles (if delivered by a provider in your plan’s network).”
In simpler words, flu shots, annual physicals and annual screenings, including physicals with your family doctors, mammograms et al should be given for free and must be covered under the insurance premium or even better.
And by now, most of us who are insured are given compliant policies, whether through employer group plans or individual policies bought off or on healthcare.gov.
Every week people talk about the soaring costs of health insurance premiums and deductibles with a lot of others who noted their company’s group plan, once grandfathered in under pre-ACA laws, now must meet the latest government standards that have resulted in increased monthly premiums.
What’s not funny is it really up to us consumers/patients to actually ensure we reap the benefits promised in today’s regulatory environment.
Insurers must able to account for A- and B-level services for preventing like the screenings and immunizations. This has been suggested by U.S. PSTF, with no copayments or deductibles. These plans are only of zero cost if given by a provider in your plan’s network.
Children who are not provided with health care entitlement from employers can remain on their parents’ plans to age 26, irrespective of marital or student status.
Also Read: World Health Organisation Announces Health care investment needed to curb out-of-pocket spending
