Planned Parenthood Action Center

Through the Affordable Care Act, Obama has ushered in a historic and groundbreaking change in the way we as a nation deal with healthcare. While some of the benefits of this overhaul of the healthcare system have already been actualized, today marks a very important day for women. A number of preventative health services will now be available through insurance coverage without co-pays. These services are:

Contraceptive methods and counseling
Well-woman visits
Counseling regarding sexually transmitted infections including HIV
Screening for HIV
DNA co-testing for HPV
Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence
Screening for gestational diabetes

These services, now free of co-pay requirements, will be available to an estimated 47 million women through the Affordable Care Act. Despite the implementation date of August 1st, many non-private insurance providers will not be making an immediate change to all plans. Because finding out whether or not you are eligible for these services can be tricky, the National Women's Law Center has provided this guide to leaning about your healthcare. If you are running into trouble dealing with your healthcare provider, Consumer Assistance Programs are available for residents of many states.

As the nation’s leading women’s health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood knows firsthand how critical this benefit is for women and families. One in five women will rely on Planned Parenthood for medical services at some point in their lives, many of whom have struggled to pay for necessary health services when faced with other daily living costs. We at Planned Parenthood look forward to seeing the impacts of this landmark day, in the health of our collective society as its government provides due medical treatment and the smiles of woman receiving preventative health services without looming co-pays.

This is a phenomenal day for the U.S., for Obama, and for women across the nation; we hope you enjoy it.

What co-pay-free service is the most valuable to you? Tell us what you think about these new benefits in a comment!

This post was created by Planned Parenthood Illinois Action.