NACHC Statement on Affordable Care Act's New Preventive Care Rules
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) commends the Obama Administration for the release of new rules on preventive care as part of the Affordable Care Act. The regulations require private health plans to cover evidence-based preventive services and eliminate cost sharing for preventive care.
“These ground-breaking rules will allow the 13 million health center patients who currently have insurance coverage to gain better access to complex and life-saving preventive services that may be offered beyond the walls of a health center,” said Dr. David Stevens, Associate Medical Director and Director of the Quality Center at NACHC. “By investing in these preventive measures we are one step closer to a heath care system that focuses on keeping people healthy, rather than treating patients when they are already sick.”
According to the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75 percent of the nation’s health spending – and often are preventable. Nationally, Americans use preventive services at about half the recommended rate likely because these services are unaffordable due to cost sharing or high deductibles, or copayments.
Regardless of insurance coverage, Community Health Center patients can access a range of preventive services that include HIV testing, mammograms, and cervical cancer screenings. In 2009, for instance health centers patients received over 753,000 HIV tests, over 340,000 mammograms, and more than 2 million Pap tests.
