The Affordable Care Act (health reform law) calls for health plans to provide coverage for clinical preventive services and requires that recommended services be provided without patient cost-sharing, such as deductibles or co-payments. Pertinent federal agencies have drafted interim rules to guide implementation of this provision of the law, which applies to group and individual plans issued after September 23, 2010. 
 
Covered services include those that have received a grade of A or B from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. At a future date, the Health Resources and Health Services Administration (HRSA) will issue additional evidence-informed recommendations for women, infants, children and adolescents.
 
Presently included are recommendations for chlamydia screening, as well as screening for gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B, and STI counseling for persons at risk. Pap smears for women, screening for tobacco use, depression and other screening and counseling services are also included. The complete listing of services covered in the rules can be found here. The full text of the rules and the mechanism to provide public comments (due September 17, 2010) can be found here.