HHS: More Than 100M U.S. Residents Received Preventive Care via ACA

More than 100 million U.S. residents accessed at least one no-cost preventive health service in 2011 and 2012 because of the Affordable Care Act, according to an HHS report published Monday, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports (Viebeck, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 3/18).

To produce the report, HHS used information from a Kaiser Family Foundation survey -- which found that 41% of workers had expanded employer-based coverage because of the ACA -- and Census Bureau data that showed that 173 million U.S. residents had private health coverage.

Specifically, the report found that:

• 71 million U.S. residents received no-cost preventive services through a private plan between 2011 and 2012 (Barr, Modern Healthcare, 3/18); and
• 34 million U.S. residents received no-cost preventive services through Medicare plans.

In a release, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "Preventing illnesses before they become serious and more costly to treat helps Americans of all ages stay healthier," adding, "No longer do Americans have to choose between paying for preventive care and groceries" ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 3/18).