The Affordable Care Act is a new law designed to make it more affordable for you to get preventive care services. The law requires that certain preventive care services are covered by your health plan or your Medicare plan at 100%, without a copay, coinsurance or deductible. In addition, the law expands the types of services that are considered preventive care (which can vary by age, gender, health and family history).

What is preventive care and why is it important?

Preventive care means services like checkups, screenings and immunizations that can help you stay healthy and may help you avoid or delay health problems. Because many serious conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are often preventable, it’s important for everyone to get the preventive care they need. Visit healthcare.gov to find out which preventive services will be covered under the new law.

What you need to know

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has always believed in the importance of preventive care – that’s why most of our health plans and Medicare plans have included preventive care coverage for many years.

Please keep in mind these important points:

• Am I affected? You will be affected by the changes only if you buy a new health plan or when your plan renews on or after September 23, 2010. Employer-sponsored and some individual plans may choose to offer the same coverage as they did previously (before March 23, 2010). If they do, this new preventive care benefit may not be available to you. If you have a Medicare plan, the changes will be effective for the next plan year starting January 1, 2011.
• What qualifies as preventive care? When you visit your doctor for an annual check up, coverage for preventive care services varies based on whether or not the service is considered preventive care under the new law and how your doctor codes the claim. If you are unsure about a service, ask your doctor if the service is a typically covered preventive care service, and which, if any, services are not considered preventive care under the new law.
• Understand your plan’s benefits. Carefully review your health plan or Medicare plan materials to understand your benefits. If you’re a Blue Cross member, call the number on the back of your member ID card if you have questions.