Summary Free Preventive Services Improve Access to Care
Laura Skopec, Jessica Banthin
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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that most private health plans cover more than 100 preventive services without cost sharing. However, a lawsuit pending in the Northern District of Texas, Kelley v. Becerra, seeks to overturn this popular ACA requirement. Research has shown that providing preventive services without cost sharing improved vaccination rates, increased screening rates for certain chronic conditions and cancers, and improved access to preventive medications like birth control and preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) prevention. Overturning the preventive services requirement could reduce access to life-saving care for the 167.5 million Americans covered under ACA-compliant private health plans.  

Research Areas Health and health care
Tags Health care laws and regulations Health insurance Federal health care reform Maternal, child, and reproductive health
Policy Centers Health Policy Center