Latest news with #preventive screenings
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Indefinitely Postponed A Critical Meeting — And It Could Have 'Devastating Effects' On All Of Us
It's hard to keep track of the funding cuts, layoffs, vaccine recommendation changes and other major shake-ups happening within the country's federal public health organizations at the hands of the Trump administration and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary. One of the latest changes is RFK Jr's postponement of a preventive health panel meeting by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which was scheduled for July 10 and the rumored dismissal of all task force members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The USPSTF sets guidelines for preventive health screenings for conditions such as diabetes, depression and cancer in children and adults. Insurance companies are then required to cover these screenings based on the USPSTF's guidelines. This news comes not long after Kennedy postponed the meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which sets vaccine recommendations, and replaced the entire committee with individuals known to spread vaccine and health misinformation, according to earlier HuffPost reporting. The changes to the USPSTF meeting and task force members is worrisome for a few reasons and could directly impact your health. Here's what doctors want you to know: This task force sets preventive screening recommendations. Changes or delays to the meeting schedule can mean missed diagnoses or changes to what insurance companies cover. The United States Preventive Services Task Force, which was formed in 1984, is a group of non-partisan volunteers who are 'nationally recognized experts' in the fields of primary care, prevention and evidence-based medicine, according to the USPTF website. All members are screened for biases, are chosen through public nomination and appointed by the Health and Human Services secretary. They serve four-year terms with new task force members rotating in each year. 'The cancellation of this specific task force ... is going to affect every American if [Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does] what they did to the ACIP and fire or remove the 16 independent medical experts who really scour the literature and then grade the evidence for each of their recommendations,' Dr. Anita Patel, a pediatric critical care doctor in Washington, D.C., told HuffPost. Once again, this hasn't been done yet, but it is allegedly in the works. One of the significant roles of the task force is to make recommendations and guidelines for preventative care services such as mammograms, colonoscopies, depression screenings and more, said Patel. Insurance companies are then required to cover these screenings and services as part of the Affordable Care Act. Doctors across the country also follow these guidelines when recommending health services for patients. In response to the reports of the dismissal of current task force members, the American Medical Association sent a letter to RFK Jr. in support of the task force in which they said, 'USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services.' Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also backed the task force by introducing a resolution that underscores the importance of the group, according to NPR. 'If the [task force] is unable to continue its work, this could have devastating effects on access to preventive services,' Dr. Oni Blackstock, a primary care physician and executive director of Health Justice, a racial and health equity consultancy, told HuffPost via email. 'We [already] know millions of Americans are at risk for losing their Medicaid,' Blackstock said, referring to the nearly $1 trillion cuts in Medicaid as part of the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill. 'Now, many others who have insurance coverage will be at risk for losing no-cost coverage of preventive care services,' added Blackstock. It's worth knowing that the meeting is currently postponed; it's not clear when it will happen instead, and who will be part of the task force when that time comes. But, as of now, what the task force recommends hasn't changed. 'Canceling the USPSTF meeting without a clear plan to reschedule puts essential, evidence-based health guidance at risk, including continued access to preventive services that millions of Americans rely on, from cancer and diabetes screenings to depression checks to support for breastfeeding,' Dr. David Higgins, a pediatrician and preventive medicine specialist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told HuffPost via email. Any delays to the task force's meeting schedule can also cause issues. 'Delays or disruptions can mean delayed diagnoses, missed opportunities for early treatment, and ultimately, worse health outcomes,' added Higgins. Not only do these changes threaten the guidance from the task force, but they 'affect whether a patient catches their cancer early enough or a person with chronic heart disease gets optimal treatment,' he noted. The task force was recently criticized for being 'woke,' which some experts think is why it's being targeted now. 'Unfortunately, this [postponement] fits a troubling pattern of political interference in scientific and public health processes,' Higgins said. Just a few days after Kennedy told panel members that the preventive health meeting was postponed, 'The American Conservative' published an essay titled 'Time for Kennedy to Kill the USPSTF.' The article claimed the task force is 'woke' and follows 'left-wing ideological orthodoxy' and is part of the 'deep state,' among other things. 'The claim that the task force is driven by 'woke' ideology is a political talking point, not a reflection of how the USPSTF actually operates,' said Higgins. 'Their work is based on a rigorous review of scientific evidence. Identifying and addressing disparities in health outcomes is part of delivering high-quality care,' Higgins added. It's well-established that certain demographics do have worse health care outcomes; Black people have higher rates of maternal mortality than other groups, upward of 50% of Latinx folks are predicted to be diagnosed with diabetes, Black people are 30% more likely to have asthma than white people and the list goes on. The task force should be considering how race and gender impacts health outcomes. Blackstock noted that USPSTF hasn't always done this, but that is changing. 'It's lacked community voices and, for a long time, didn't focus on health equity or racism's impact on health and was not focused on ensuring diverse representation among its members,' Blackstock said. Recently, though, this has changed, and the task force has worked to address these issues, Blackstock added. 'It has taken steps to formalize the use of inclusive language, and to flag if data is missing for a population, particularly those that are minoritized,' Blackstock said. The group is also piloting an equity checklist that helps integrate equity throughout the screening recommendation process, Blackstock noted. These recent steps put a target on USPSTF's back, she said. 'I believe this is why the [task force] is being targeted, because it is paying attention to health inequities and racism's harmful effects on health,' Blackstock said. Patel added that USPSTF isn't taking care away from white Americans. Instead, it's 'trying to level the playing field so that everyone got equal care,' Patel noted. 'But, of course, [critics of the task force] saw the term 'diversity' or 'equity' and really tried to blow up one part of a much larger organization to play to their base and say, 'Hey, these guys are woke idiots,'' Patel said. USPSTF is now trying to advance medicine and make sure everyone, no matter where they live or what they look like, has access to preventive health screenings. The task force is here to 'take out the inherent racism that we've had in medicine for decades that has been really unduly perpetuated,' Patel noted. While racism does certainly still exist in medicine, awareness allows medical professionals to address any biases and make sure everyone gets the care they deserve regardless of their race, socioeconomic background or ethnicity, Patel noted. 'It's an evil thing to walk back all of these medical and diversity advancements that we've made in the past decade just because they want to pander to their base. It's unconscionable,' Patel said. Related... Experts Say Trump's Big Bill Will Shut Down This 1 Type Of Hospital — And It'll Impact Multitudes COVID Cases Are Rising This Summer, But Not All The Data Shows It — Here's Why RFK Jr. Keeps Telling A Flat-Out Lie About Childhood Vaccines — And Doctors Are Sick Of It Solve the daily Crossword
Medical News Today
17-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
What to know about insurance for preventive screenings
In the United States, most health insurance plans cover preventive health screenings and services at no cost. However, the services may only be free if a healthcare professional under the plan's network provides and conditions for individual health insurance plans can vary, so people should always check with their insurance provider to see which services are covered and if any fees will article explores which preventive screenings insurance plans cover, whether there are any fees for preventive screenings, and whether Medicare covers use of binary terms such as 'male' and 'female' or 'men' and 'women' in this article reflects the language of the sources we've used. Unless otherwise noted, it's unclear whether the research we reference included participants with expansive gender screenings for all adultsMany health insurance plans will cover the following types of preventive services without charging people a copayment or coinsurance:Preventive screenings for all adults include:blood pressure screeningdepression screeningalcohol misuse screening and counselingobesity screening and counselingcertain vaccinations, depending on a person's age and other factorscholesterol screening, depending on a person's age and other factorstype 2 diabetes screening for anyone between 40 to 70 years of age with overweight or obesitydiet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic diseasetuberculosis screening for certain people without symptoms who are at high riskaspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer for anyone between 50 to 59 years of age with a high cardiovascular riskstatin preventive medication for certain adults ages 40 to 75 yearscolorectal cancer screening for people between 45 to 75 years of agelung cancer screening for adults ages 50 to 80 at high risk for lung cancer due to current smoking or after quitting smoking in the past 15 yearstobacco use screening for everyone and quitting interventions for people who use tobaccofalls prevention for adults ages 65 years and over who live in a community settinghepatitis B screening for people at high riskhepatitis C screening for people between the ages of 18 to 79 yearssexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention counseling for individuals at higher risksyphilis screening for adults at higher riskHIV screening for anyone ages 15 to 65, and other ages at increased riskpreexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention medication for individuals at high risk of contracting HIV through sex or injection drug useFor menAdditionally, most health insurance plans should cover abdominal aortic aneurysm one-time screening for men of specified ages who have ever smoked without charging them a copayment or screenings for womenMany health insurance plans should also cover the following types of preventive services for women without charging them a copayment or coinsurance:Cervical cancer screening, which includes Pap tests for individuals ages 21 to cancer screening mammogram, with or without clinical breast examination, every 1 to 2 years for individuals ages 40 and cancer chemoprevention counseling for individuals at higher cancer genetic test counseling for those at higher and interpersonal violence screening and counseling. Yearly urinary incontinence screening for people with a history of gestational diabetes who are not currently pregnant and who have not been diagnosed with type 2 screening for younger individuals and those at higher screening for people at higher density screening for individuals over age 65 or 64 years and younger who have experienced healthcare professional visits to get recommended screenings for people who are pregnant or may become pregnantFor people who are pregnant or may become pregnant, many health insurance plans will also cover the following types of preventive services without charging a copayment or coinsurance:birth controlsyphilis screeningurinary tract or other infection screeningfolic acid supplements for individuals who may become pregnanthepatitis B screening for pregnant people at their first prenatal visitgestational diabetes screening for people who are 24 weeks pregnant or later and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetespreeclampsia prevention and screening for pregnant people with high blood pressureRh incompatibility screening for all pregnant people and follow-up testing for individuals at higher riskbreastfeeding support and counseling from trained providers, and access to breastfeeding supplies, for people who are pregnant or nursingpostpartum depression screening for birthing parents at baby doctor visitsexpanded tobacco intervention and counseling for pregnant people who use tobaccoPreventive screenings for childrenMost health insurance plans should also cover the following types of preventive services for children and infants without charging a copayment or coinsurance:blood screening for newbornshearing screening for all newborns, and regular screenings for children and adolescents, as a healthcare professional recommendshemoglobinopathies or sickle cell screening for newbornsbilirubin concentration screening for newbornsphenylketonuria screening for newbornsgonorrhea preventive medication for the eyes of all newbornshypothyroidism screening for newbornsautism screening for children at 18 and 24 monthsoral health risk assessment for young children from ages 6 months to 6 yearsfluoride varnish for all infants and children as soon as teeth are presentfluoride supplements for children without fluoride in their water sourcedevelopmental screening for children under age 3regular height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) measurements for all childrenregular baby and child doctor visitsbehavioral assessments for all childrenvision screening for all childrenhematocrit or hemoglobin screening for all childrendyslipidemia screening for all children once between 9 and 11 years and once between 17 and 21 years, and for children at higher risk of lipid disorderslead screening for children at risk of lead exposuretuberculin testing for children at higher risk of tuberculosisAre there any fees for preventive screenings?Preventive screenings are usually only free of charge if a healthcare professional in the plan's network provides insurance providers may charge a fee if a person receives preventive services from an out-of-network provider. They may also charge a fee for some doctor's office visit costs if preventive service is not the main purpose of the a person's insurance may not cover preventive services if a person has a 'grandfathered' health insurance should always check the terms and conditions for their individual health insurance plan or contact their insurance provider for more without health insurance may still be able to access free or reduced-cost preventive screenings through options like Medicaid, community health centers, or charity clinics. »Learn more:What medical care is available without insurance?Does Medicare cover preventive screenings?Medicare Part B covers many preventive screening tests if a person meets certain criteria. Many of these services are free of charge, but people should always check the terms and conditions of their individual Medicare plan for more information, as plan benefits can example, someone with a Medicare Advantage Plan may have access to certain preventive services that Original Medicare does not cover, and their costs and coverage rules may resourcesFor more resources to help guide you through the complex world of medical insurance, visit our Medicare to speak with a doctorPeople should aim to attend any preventive screenings that are recommended based on their age or other factors, such as pregnancy or tobacco who is unsure about which preventive services would benefit them may want to contact a healthcare professional for further information.»FIND CARE:Find a healthcare professional in your area health insurance plans cover preventive health screenings and services at no extra coverage and fees can differ between plans. For example, insurance providers may charge a fee if a person receives preventive services from an out-of-network provider. A person should always check the terms and conditions of their health insurance plan or contact their provider for more who do not have health insurance may want to explore options such as Medicaid, community health centers, or charity clinics.
