This is going to be interesting to see how this works since the co-pays were immediate cash payments to the doctors and now I am assuming this little bit of relief here with the co-pays on preventive services might be missed by some practices. Co-Pays of course are still applicable on regular visits that fall outside of the preventive services area.
I remember back when insurance companies would not pay for any well woman or any type of preventive service and the coding was always a trick to get the insurer to pay let’s say for an annual pap smear as it was always written up like the patient had issues instead of just a well woman exam. Some of that stuff is still around and can be on old records too that can hurt when applying for insurance too as you may find as a patient you have diagnoses you never knew about. BD
The interim final regulations, which take effect on Sept. 23, require private health plans to cover all preventive services given an "A" or "B" recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, as well as preventive services recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The covered services include screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm , aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease, alcoholism and smoking cessation counseling, immunizations, screening mammograms and colonoscopies, and screening for other chronic conditions including hypertension , hypercholesterolemia, hepatitis, diabetes, HIV, osteoporosis, and iron deficiency. They also include screening for obesity as well as weight-loss counseling.
Obama Administration officials acknowledged that implementing the new rules will result in an average 1.5 percent increase in premium increases to pay for the services being added. But, said Jeanne Lambrew, director of the HHS Office of Health Reform, "much of that is a shift, since people were already paying for these services out of their deductible."
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