Attorney General Josh Stein advocates for North Carolinians’ access to preventive health care

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For quick release:
Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Contact Us: Nazneen Ahmed
919-716-0060

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein has filed a friend-of-the-court brief to protect a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) that guarantees millions of Americans access to critical preventive care. In the year By 2020, more than 150 million people will be enrolled in health insurance plans that cover preventive health care services at no cost to the patient.

“Preventive care saves lives and saves money,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “The earlier we catch and treat diseases, the less people die from cancer, diabetes and heart disease. It also gets them out of the emergency room. I will continue to fight to protect the Affordable Care Act and protect people’s access to care.

The preventive services provision in the ACA requires private insurance plans to cover certain services and treatments, including cancer screenings and vaccinations, without paying people co-pays, deductibles or other out-of-pocket costs. This provision was challenged in the district court, and the court removed coverage requirements for many services, including drugs to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes screening for pregnant women. The court prohibited the federal government from enforcing these requirements.

In briefs to the appeals court, Attorney General Stein and other attorneys general argued that removing part or all of preventive services would put people’s health at risk when their illnesses are preventable. It will also seriously affect the state’s public health system.

The provision has helped millions of people easily access preventive services, including cancer screening and contraception. When doctors detect diseases early, or sometimes prevent them altogether, people get healthier.

Attorney Stein is presenting this brief in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

A copy of the brief is available. over here.

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