No cost for preventive care????

[disfan07]

DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A DEBATE ABOUT HEALTHCARE REFORM. I DONT WANT TO HEAR IT AND I WILL ASK THE MODS TO CLOSE IF IT DOES!

Is this policy of health care reform now in effect everywhere or is it just my doctors practice?

Just found out when I went for a sick visit yesterday that all preventive care is now covered 100%. Including no copay. That apparently includes a yearly GYN visit as well as yearly physical from my internist (at least for us and our insurance) That means physical, lab work, vaccines, preventive testing, etc is all covered 100%. My doctor said that its great because they are getting an influx of patients who have not been coming in for yearly visits because of cost.

For some reason i thought that didn't go into effect until 2014. But I might be getting confused (especially since I'm just so focused on the fact that in 2014 I will be able to get my own insurance) I was curious if anyone else has experienced this recently or if it's just our medical group.

Whatever the reason, SO HAPPY! With almost $22,000 in medical bills every year (about $7,000 of that being copays), and me needing more surgery this year and probably starting xolair treatment, every little bit helps!!!

 

[clanmcculloch]

My insurance company has been doing this for a long time. This past year my company even adopted a policy that gives us a bonus in our HSA when we get a physical. It makes a lot of financial sense for insurance companies to do things like this. People who get preventative care are less likely to wait until something is seriously wrong and therefore more expensive to get problems taken care of. The insurance companies save money by getting us in for preventative care.

I have the same thing with my dental insurance.

 

[secretpantssam]

I thought this came in later too, but I just had my yearly gyn visit and they said I didn't have to pay the copay there either.

 

[Marionnette]

DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A DEBATE ABOUT HEALTHCARE REFORM. I DONT WANT TO HEAR IT AND I WILL ASK THE MODS TO CLOSE IF IT DOES!

Is this policy of health care reform now in effect everywhere or is it just my doctors practice?

Just found out when I went for a sick visit yesterday that all preventive care is now covered 100%. Including no copay. That apparently includes a yearly GYN visit as well as yearly physical from my internist (at least for us and our insurance) That means physical, lab work, vaccines, preventive testing, etc is all covered 100%. My doctor said that its great because they are getting an influx of patients who have not been coming in for yearly visits because of cost.

For some reason i thought that didn't go into effect until 2014. But I might be getting confused (especially since I'm just so focused on the fact that in 2014 I will be able to get my own insurance) I was curious if anyone else has experienced this recently or if it's just our medical group.

Whatever the reason, SO HAPPY! With almost $22,000 in medical bills every year (about $7,000 of that being copays), and me needing more surgery this year and probably starting xolair treatment, every little bit helps!!!

I'm going to bookmark this thread and when people vent about the cost of their health insurance premiums going through the roof, I'm just going to link them to this. It pretty much explains it all.

Now, if I could only get my auto insurance to pay for oil changes and new tires...

 

[HM]

This is not new to me. My insurance has paid 100% for one yearly preventative check up with my Family Doctor for many years now. All other appointments have the usual deductible that has gone up every year for the past few years now.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I thought it was because we switched insurance plans but maybe not At DDs most recent well visit they told me there was no copay and it made me

 

[Fire14]

I know dh's last vist he hads co pay yet but not sure when that was.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Dosen't it feel great ! That's wonderful news and no longer so many payments for you .

Our ins for as long as we've had them always covers well visits. Not only yearly check ups, but well visits in general. It's great ! They probably offer more and I just don't know.

 

[ekatiel]

Ran into this at the ped's office today after my boys' well-checks. I actually wanted to spend the last $60 left on my HSA card (ours renews in Sept.), so I was a little bummed I didn't have to pay!!! I'm not a fan of Obamacare, but I do think the no cost for preventative treatment probably makes financial sense to private healthcare companies, as evidenced by the number of people on here that say their company was already doing this. --Katie

 

[Chelley00]

Our preventative care is covered as far as the doctor office visit goes, but we pay 20% of labs after our deductible is met.

 

[dhardawa]

A lot of insurance companies already paid for preventive care, but the definition of what is preventive varies a lot. For example, my insurance has covered annual gyn exams and labs for years, but something like an annual skin cancer screening (which is also preventive) wasn't covered and still isn't. They added adult vaccines last year because they were going to have to anyway with healthcare reform and this year included birth control. So, no, it isn't your doctor's office at all. It is your insurance company probably adopting changes they are going to have to down the road anyway.

 

[budbeerlady]

Ours has been this way for 3 years now.

Its interesting to hope this will cut down on future expenses for insurers but I really don't think it will have much effect. The people who didn't go for a yearly physical when they had a $25 or $50 co-pay most likely are not going to schedule one if they are covered 100%. Many people simply do not go regardless if its free or costs money, its their choice.

And really money-wise IF I had a large medical issue it would cost me much more out of pocket now with my deductible vs when I had co-pays for the smaller stuff. So far so good for my family but I know many are not too thrilled with our current plan. I might be saving $100 a year in co-pays while raising the deductable from $2,500 to $8,000.

 

[disneysteve]

Dr. Steve here.

Some insurance companies do this. Others don't.

I think it is a good idea as it removes a barrier to care. budbeerlady, I respectfully disagree. A $25 or $35 copay can and does keep people away, especially where I work - a very poor area. And if there are 3 or 4 or 5 in the family, then you're talking about a couple hundred dollars per year in copays for those routine visits. Add in gyn visits and eye exams and lab copays and a family might rack up $400-$500/year just for preventative care. It adds up quick.

 

[pantherlj]

If I am not mistaken, PPACA requires all non grandfathered plans (Plans that started after March 23, 2010 or had a change after March 23) to have no cost share preventive services. Below are the ones that started in 2011. Beginning with new policies sold as of 8/1 (or when your policy renews if you have a plan), the women's extended preventive kicks in - free birth control, STD counseling, breastfeeding support, etc.

Here are some of the services covered with the original requirements:

Children (0-17): Coverage includes regular pediatrician visits, vision and hearing screening, developmental assessments, immunizations, and screening and counseling to address obesity and help children maintain a healthy weight.


Women (18-64): Coverage includes cancer screening such as pap smears for those ages 21 to 64, mammograms for those ages 50 to 64, and colonoscopy for those 50 to 64; recommended immunizations such as HPV vaccination for women ages 19 to 26, flu shots for all adults, and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for sexually-transmitted infections and HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling. Starting in August 2012, additional preventive services specific to women, such as screening for gestational diabetes and contraception, will be covered by new health plans with no cost sharing.


Men (18-64): Coverage includes recommended immunizations such as flu shots for all adults and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; cancer screening including colonoscopy for adults 50 to 64; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling.

Edit to remove comment that might be considered the start of a debate

 

[Eastern]

Isn't it great that everyone now has all this free care that no one has to pay for!

Whoever figured out how to save us all this money is a genius! Why isn't everything free???

 

[Tink-aholic]

If I am not mistaken, PPACA requires all non grandfathered plans (Plans that started after March 23, 2010 or had a change after March 23) to have no cost share preventive services. Below are the ones that started in 2011. Beginning with new policies sold as of 8/1 (or when your policy renews if you have a plan), the women's extended preventive kicks in - free birth control, STD counseling, breastfeeding support, etc.

Here are some of the services covered with the original requirements:

Children (0-17): Coverage includes regular pediatrician visits, vision and hearing screening, developmental assessments, immunizations, and screening and counseling to address obesity and help children maintain a healthy weight.


Women (18-64): Coverage includes cancer screening such as pap smears for those ages 21 to 64, mammograms for those ages 50 to 64, and colonoscopy for those 50 to 64; recommended immunizations such as HPV vaccination for women ages 19 to 26, flu shots for all adults, and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for sexually-transmitted infections and HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling. Starting in August 2012, additional preventive services specific to women, such as screening for gestational diabetes and contraception, will be covered by new health plans with no cost sharing.


Men (18-64): Coverage includes recommended immunizations such as flu shots for all adults and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; cancer screening including colonoscopy for adults 50 to 64; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling.

Edit to remove comment that might be considered the start of a debate

Just wanted to add more to the "grandfathering" issue: ours is grandfathered until 2014 as long as management doesn't increase the premium cost-share by more than 5% per year. This is in MA, but I am pretty sure this is Federal Law. If the premium cost-share increases by more than 5%, we lose our grandfathered status.

 

[mks18412]

Our insurance has had "free" preventitive care for years. Honestly I would prefer to pay out of pocket for shots and such so our premium wouldnt go up every year.... There is no such things as "FREE" insurance, thats where people are highly mistaken. Someone has to pay for it. Just my two cents.

 

[mks18412]

Isn't it great that everyone now has all this free care that no one has to pay for!

Whoever figured out how to save us all this money is a genius! Why isn't everything free???

Saw this after I posted...

You took the words right out of my mouth!

 

[sdjen]

If I am not mistaken, PPACA requires all non grandfathered plans (Plans that started after March 23, 2010 or had a change after March 23) to have no cost share preventive services. Below are the ones that started in 2011. Beginning with new policies sold as of 8/1 (or when your policy renews if you have a plan), the women's extended preventive kicks in - free birth control, STD counseling, breastfeeding support, etc.

Here are some of the services covered with the original requirements:

Children (0-17): Coverage includes regular pediatrician visits, vision and hearing screening, developmental assessments, immunizations, and screening and counseling to address obesity and help children maintain a healthy weight.


Women (18-64): Coverage includes cancer screening such as pap smears for those ages 21 to 64, mammograms for those ages 50 to 64, and colonoscopy for those 50 to 64; recommended immunizations such as HPV vaccination for women ages 19 to 26, flu shots for all adults, and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for sexually-transmitted infections and HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling. Starting in August 2012, additional preventive services specific to women, such as screening for gestational diabetes and contraception, will be covered by new health plans with no cost sharing.


Men (18-64): Coverage includes recommended immunizations such as flu shots for all adults and meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations for high-risk adults; cancer screening including colonoscopy for adults 50 to 64; healthy diet counseling and obesity screening; cholesterol and blood pressure screening; screening for HIV; depression screening; and tobacco-use counseling.

Edit to remove comment that might be considered the start of a debate

Well said!! I work as an account manager for a health insurance company and you explained it perfectly. With all of the commercials and press coverage touting no cost preventive care, people assume they will not have to pay anything. But, they dont realize they have a "grandfathered" plan and in my world, that means their employer will decide what coverage (if any) they have for preventive care.

Also FYI - the Womens care also only applies to non grandfathered plans (for now).

 

[sdjen]

Just wanted to add more to the "grandfathering" issue: ours is grandfathered until 2014 as long as management doesn't increase the premium cost-share by more than 5% per year. This is in MA, but I am pretty sure this is Federal Law. If the premium cost-share increases by more than 5%, we lose our grandfathered status.

Just to clarify - This doesnt mean if your premiums go up by 5% though. If your premiums go up by 20% but your employers contributions also go up 15%, you do not lose grandfathered status. THe ratio of the funding cannot change by more than 5%.