In Massachusetts an estimated 3,399,092 individuals with private insurance are guaranteed access to free preventive services

In Massachusetts an estimated 3,399,092 individuals with private insurance are guaranteed access to free preventive services

In Massachusetts an estimated 3,399,092 individuals, including 1,412,394 women and 654,577 children, have private health insurance that covers recommended preventive services without cost sharing, according to a new ASPE Data Point from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans are required to provide coverage for recommended preventive health care services without copays.  Nationwide, about 137 million individuals, including 55 million women and 28 million children, have private health insurance that covers recommended preventive services without cost sharing. Increased access to preventive services can reduce and prevent costly chronic diseases and help Bay Staters live healthier lives. These services include but are not limited to: * Blood pressure screening                                * Well-baby and well-child visit * Obesity screening and counseling                   * Flu vaccination and other immunizations * Well-woman visits                                          * Tobacco cessation interventions * Domestic violence screening and counseling  * Vision screening for children * Breastfeeding support and supplies                * HIV screening * FDA-approved contraceptive methods          * Depression screening “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more Bay Staters have access to preventive services, including vaccinations, well-baby visits, and diabetes and blood pressure screenings," said Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “These services can substantially improve the health of families, and in some cases even save lives. We urge all individuals with health care coverage to take advantage of these services.  This can make a tremendous difference in the health of Americans.” The data released today are broken down by age and gender.  Of the estimated 3,399,092 Bay Staters with access to recommended preventive services without cost sharing: 654,577 are children, who have access to free preventive service coverage for flu vaccinations and other immunizations, vision screening, and well-baby and well-child visits.   1,412,394 are women, who have access to free preventive services such as well-women visits, breastfeeding support and supplies, and recommended cancer screenings.   1,332,122 are men, who have access to annual wellness visits, blood pressure screening, and cancer screenings. Some of the estimated 137 million individuals nationwide that are guaranteed access to preventive services without cost sharing today may have had access to one or more of those services without cost sharing prior to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Employer Health Benefits Survey in 2012, 41 percent of all workers were covered by employer-sponsored group health plans that expanded their list of covered preventive services due to the Affordable Care Act.  Based on this and available Health Insurance Marketplace data at the time, HHS previously estimated that approximately 76 million Americans – and 30 million women – received expanded coverage of one or more preventive services because of the Affordable Care Act nationwide.  In Massachusetts, approximately 1,786,000 Bay Staters – and 692,000 women – received expanded coverage of one or more preventive services because of the Affordable Care Act.  To read today’s data point, please visit:  http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2015/Prevention/ib_Prevention.pdf