Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/179241
thrive wellbeing health wise The Affordable Care Act A quick primer on the new laws 8 Preventative Health Services Now Covered Under ACA Well-women visits Contraceptives and related counseling Testing for HPV (human papilloma virus) Counseling on STDs Screening and counseling for HIV Screening for gestational diabetes Breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling Screening and counseling for domestic and interpersonal violence Shopping for boots? Fun. Shopping for cars? Stressful, but rewarding. Shopping for health insurance? Really, a root canal sounds more enjoyable. But get ready: For some of us, this may become an annual activity. Mandatory coverage is one of the many new regulations going into effect in the coming year under the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). A mammothed-sized set of regulations that many say will impact all Americans in some way—whether you already have insurance or not—ACA is likely to turn health care into a team sport. Here's what you need to know to make sure you're in the game. Know Your Options With a few exceptions, everyone is required to have health insurance starting Jan. 1 or face a financial penalty (determined by income). If the sound of that makes you cling to your purse strings, try not to fret. As of Oct. 1, a health insurance marketplace will be available for the uninsured—like students, the self-employed or those who work with fewer than 50 people—to browse the plans of 13 stateapproved insurers. If your employer is larger and decides not to offer insurance, the company will pay its own penalty and you'll find yourself browsing. Jeanan Yasiri Moe, GHC-South Central Wisconsin's chief planning and innovation officer, reminds us that subsidies are available based on income to help lower out-of-pocket costs. Check out the subsidy and penalty calculator on the GHC-SCW website to check your status (ghcbettertogether.com). Another sigh of relief for many are the big changes to coverage access. Of note, insurers will no longer be able to deny coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, make denials based on gender, age or where you live, and children under 26 will be allowed to stay on their parents' plans. Know What's Covered and What's Changing The workplace is not the only arena in which women tend to be short-changed. Prior to health care reform, women commonly paid higher premiums. According to Yasiri Moe, ACA changes this for the better. "Health insurance premiums become 'fixed' based on plan selection and a couple other factors, but not gender. So for most women they will experience increased value for the premium dollars they pay," she explains. She adds there are 22 preventive services that new health plans must cover, including the eight most critical for women (see sidebar, left). In addition, maternity and newborn care is required coverage with all new health plans. If you participate in an employer's plan, check that all of these required elements are available starting Jan. 1. Know Your Health Care Team With around 50 million Americans entering the health care system as of Jan. 1, health care delivery will have to change. But with more preventive screenings, the goal is to make us active participants in our wellness. That means even more demands on your doc's time, so get to know your nurse practitioner and other clinical staff. Their focus will be on keeping you well and out of the hospital. And if you visit the doctor regularly, get ready for a team approach. Incentives for physicians and hospitals over the last few years to implement electronic medical records make it easier for primary care docs to coordinate with specialists. Ultimately, this makes it easier for you to stay on top of your own health care milestones. –Emily Leas Three big Health Care Changes for Women The "ovary mark-up" is a thing of the past—women cannot be charged more for insurance because of gender. 28 brava magazine | OCTOBER 2013 Insurers cannot deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, even if you are a breast cancer survivor or pregnant.. Effective Jan. 1, maternity is now considered an essential benefit for individual and small-group plans.