Agencies Issue Interim Final Rule on Women’s Preventive Services under Health Reform

On August 1, 2011, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury issued an interim final rule under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requiring non-grandfathered health plans to cover a wide range of women’s preventive services without cost-sharing (including, co-insurance, co-pays, and deductibles).  Theses services include well-woman visits, contraception, breastfeeding supplies and support, domestic violence screening, screening for gestational diabetes, human papillomavirus DNA testing for women 30 years and older, human immunodeficiency virus screening and counseling, and sexually transmitted diseases counseling.  The interim final rule is effective for plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012.