BURLINGTON, Vt. -
It's been two years since Congress passed a universal health care plan. Tonight, another portion is now in effect; this one specifically targeted toward women's preventative care. It impacts hundreds of thousands of people, right here in our viewing area.
In fact, more than 47 million of us nationwide now have access to services, without having to pay for it ourselves.
No co-pay, no deductible, and no cost-sharing. The Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to provide coverage for preventative healthcare services for women.
"Hopefully this will just get more people through the door," Patti Fisher said, Medical Director for Community Health Centers.
This change impacts more than more than 100,000 Vermonters.
Here's what it means:
No more co-pay for birth control.
Counseling for family planning and support with breast feeding.
Counseling for domestic violence victims.
Screening for gestational diabetes.
And testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
"Untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic infection and sometimes being unable to have children later," Fisher said.
Many of these screenings can detect problems before they become advanced, therefore save lives. "We see people all of the time come in with pretty advanced cancers because they just didn't want to spend the money," Fisher added.
But now, cost won't play a role in care, women can go to the doctor and not be charged extra for services they need and should get every year. This also means that women who neglected their healthcare because of the price tag can finally get checked out.
While the cost of these services will be cheaper or even free for many people, opponents of the law want it repealed because they believe it will put the country further in debt. As for right now, only religious institutions and insurance companies with special exemptions can get around it.
