Affordable Care Act requires contraceptive coverage with no cost-sharing

A rule issued jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services, IRS and the Department of Labor, pursuant to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will require non-grandfathered health plans to cover contraceptive services for women with no copayment (76 Fed Reg 46621, Aug. 3, 2011). The ACA requires non-grandfathered plans to cover recommended preventive services without any copay or other cost-sharing requirement. These include services such as routine immunizations and preventive care and screenings for children and women as provided for in the guidelines of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This latest rule expands the preventive services that must be covered with no cost sharing to include contraceptive services for all women. This mandate goes into effect for the first plan year beginning on or after August 1, 2012. This means January 1, 2013 for calendar year plans.<!—?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /?—>

Tips: Check out HealthCare.gov, for a list of all the preventive services required to be covered with no cost sharing.