New women's health coverage to start tomorrow

Birth control, hpv testing, pap smears among preventive services to be covered for free under health reform

Women will have access to free health services for certain procedures under health care reform that go into affect tomorrow.

The health benefits, a result of the Mikulski Women’s Preventive Health Amendment, guarantee that women will receive, at no cost, an annual women’s health exam to screen for the leading causes of death among women. It also requires all health plans to cover comprehensive women’s preventive care and screenings with no copayments.

Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski joined other Congressional Democrats Tuesday in announcing the new services.

Also under health reform, women can no longer be charged more than men for the same coverage, and C-sections and domestic violence are no longer considered pre-existing conditions to deny care.

 The procedures to be covereed for free are:

• Annual preventive care check-up including breast exams, pre-conception & prenatal care, pap testing and pelvic exam
• Screening for gestational diabetes
• HPV testing
• HIV & STI screening and support
• FDA-approved contraception & contraceptive counseling
• Breastfeeding support, supplies & counseling
• Domestic violence screening & counseling