SUPPORT H5426 AND S23

Yesterday, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas
issued its decision in Braidwood v. Becerra, striking down some
parts of the Affordable Care Act’s no-cost preventive service
mandate. The decision will almost certainly be appealed, but if it
stands, insurance plans will be able to charge consumers to
access many important preventive services, including for some
types of colorectal cancer screening, lung cancer screening, and
pre-exposure prophylaxis (“PrEP”) for HIV. Some insurers may even
stop covering certain preventive services altogether.

This means more people will go without the preventive care they
need. Research has shown that even small out-of-pocket costs
can reduce health care utilization. When people skip preventive
care, it causes worse health outcomes down the road.

However, proposed legislation (H5426 and S23) would preserve
access to preventive services without out-of-pocket costs for many
Rhode Islanders, along with maintaining other important elements
of the ACA. Fourteen other states and Washington, DC have
already implemented this important protection. With the ACA
again under threat, it’s important to contact your legislators, tell
them to support H5426 and S23, and help Rhode Islanders keep
access to no-cost preventive services to help them stay healthy.