Beginning next year, patients will no longer have co-payments or deductibles when receiving contraceptive and other preventive health services.  The Institute of Medicine recently recommended insurers cover 100 percent of costs for certain preventive services for women. This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services signed those recommendations into law.  Other than birth control, insurers will cover the following services without out-of-pocket expense to patients:

• Testing for HPV in women 30 and older
• Counseling and screening for HIV
• Domestic violence counseling
• Breastfeeding support provisions, including pump rentals
• A minimum of one annual preventive health visit
• For pregnant women, screening for gestational diabetes
• Annual STD counseling

The requirements will apply to new health insurance policies beginning August 1, 2012.