There are many items in the healthcare reform bill that don’t get publicized.  For all the worry about the cost of the bill, there are many aspects that can indirectly save money in the future with healthier individuals.  These are some of the lesser known items from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

  • For consumer protection, establish a website to help residents identify health coverage options and develop a standard format for presenting information on coverage options.
  • Improve prevention by covering only proven preventive services and eliminating cost-sharing for preventive services in Medicare and Medicaid (effective 01.01.2011).
  • Provide Medicare beneficiaries access to a comprehensive health risk assessment and creation of a personalized prevention plan.
  • Require qualified health plans to provide certain preventive services including recommended immunizations, preventive care for infants, children, adolescents and women without cost sharing.
  • Grants for up to five years to small employers that establish wellness programs.
  • Provide technical assistance and other resources to evaluate employer-based wellness programs.
  • Employers may offer employees rewards – in the form of premium discounts, waivers of cost-sharing, or other benefits that would not be provided – up to 30% of the cost of participating in a wellness program.
  • Require chain restaurants and food sold from vending machines to disclose the nutritional content of each item.
  • Establish a new trauma center program to strengthen emergency department and trauma center capacity.
  • Establish a commissioned Regular Corps and a Ready Reserve Corps for service in time of a national emergency.