HIV Testing Will Now Be Covered Under Obamacare
The experts on the U.S. Preventative Task Force, a government-backed panel of scientists and medical professionals, are now recommending that every American between the ages of 15 and 65 be tested for HIV. Since the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover the preventative services that are recommended by the task force, regular HIV testing will now be covered under Obamacare as a routine part of a check-up.
Dr. Carlos Del Rio, an expert in AIDS research in Atlanta, told ABC News that the task force’s announcement is “very exciting” because it will help ensure that her patients are routinely screened for HIV, just as they are already tested for their blood pressure or cholesterol levels:
“People are terrible at knowing their own risk,” said Del Rio, adding that people may be unaware of the HIV status of their sexual partners. “And doctors are terrible at asking them about risk. It can be difficult to discuss sex and drugs with our patients.”
The task force recommendations are used by Medicare and other insurance companies to determine what laboratory tests should be covered. Other important task force recommendations included screening for breast and colon cancer, as well as high cholesterol.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/11/20/1219481/hiv-testing-covered-obamacare/
= new reply since forum marked as read
isn't Obamacare the law of the land?
