New Guidelines and Rules for Women’s Preventive Services under the Affordable Care Act

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”) mandates coverage in group health plans for certain types of preventive health services without cost-sharing (such as co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles). One type of mandated preventive health service is preventive care and screenings for women as set forth in guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”).

On July 19, 2010, the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Department of Health and Human Services (the “Departments’) issued an interim final rule incorporating the requirement under the Affordable Care Act. The rules were accompanied by guidelines on certain types of preventive services and immunizations but no specific types of preventive care and screenings for women. However, the rules anticipated that HRSA would eventually adopt guidelines.

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