Month: July 2015

Coverage of Preventive Services in the HealthCare Law

supreme-court-building-1209701_1280The national healthcare law requires coverage for preventive services when the effectiveness of those services have been documented by the US Preventive Task Force.  All non-grandfathered group health plans including self-funded plans begun after 2010 are required to cover these services.

United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations
Topic Description
Obesity screening and counseling: adults The USPSTF recommends screening all adults for obesity. Clinicians should offer or refer patients with a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher to intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions.
Obesity screening and counseling: children The USPSTF recommends that clinicians screen children age 6 years and older for obesity and offer them or refer them to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions to promote improvement in weight status.
Healthy diet counseling The USPSTF recommends intensive behavioral dietary counseling for adult patients with hyperlipidemia and other known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease. Intensive counseling can be delivered by primary care clinicians or by referral to other specialists, such as nutritionists or dietitians.