Department of Health and Human Services Updates Preventive Care and Screening Guidelines

In January 2022 the Department of Health and Human Services updated the preventive care and screening guidelines for women, adolescents, children, and infants.  Items and services determined to be “preventive care” (flu shots, for example) must be provided by employer group health plans to plan participants without any cost-share. Unless a specific effective date is provided, new preventive care requirements go into effect the first day of the plan year following the year in which the guidance is issued.

Effective plan years beginning in 2023 the new preventive care items and services include, but are not limited to:

• Obesity Counseling for Women Between the Ages of 40 to 60 Years of Age
• Additional Contraceptive Items and Services
• Double Electric Breast Pumps
• Suicide Risk Screenings for Individuals Ages 12 to 21
• Risk Assessment for Cardiac Arrest or Death for Individuals Ages 11 to 21
• Risk Assessment for Hepatitis B Infection for Newborns to 21 year-olds