Affordable Care Act Helps 18M Get Preventive Services at No Cost

According to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' news release today, "Nearly 5.4 million seniors and people with disabilities have saved more than $4.1 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the Affordable Care Act."

Seniors in the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap (the “donut hole”) saved an average of $768. The press release goes on to say that "during the first seven months of 2012, the new health care law has helped nearly 18 million people with original Medicare get at least one preventive service at no cost to them."

Under the Affordable Care Act, many preventive services are offered free of charge to seniors, with no deductible or co-pay.

Click here to access the HHS August 20, 2012 News Release. To find out which preventive services are covered under Medicare Part B, click here. 

It seems as if removing cost barriors to preventive services is encouraging more seniors and people with disabilities to get screening and utilize preventive services, such as nutrition therapy, obesity counseling and tobacco-use cessation.

Two thumbs up for the portion of the Affordable Care Act that removed cost barriors to preventive services.