ACA Helps 105 Million Americans Receive Free Preventive Care
- By BSTQ Staff
In the three years the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been in effect, approximately 71 million Americans in private health insurance plans received coverage for at least one free preventive healthcare service such as a mammogram or flu shot in 2011 and 2012 because of the Act. Additionally, an estimated 34 million Americans in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans have received at least one preventive service such as an annual wellness visit at no out-of-pocket cost because of the healthcare law. Taken together, this means about 105 million Americans with private health plans and Medicare beneficiaries have been helped by the ACA’s prevention coverage improvements.
“Preventing illnesses before they become serious and more costly to treat helps Americans of all ages stay healthier,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “No longer do Americans have to choose between paying for preventive care and groceries.”
