Delaware Health Insurers Required to Provide Free Coverage for Immunizations

As required by the federal Health Care Reform law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), the Delaware General Assembly passed amendments to the state’s insurance code requiring health insurance carriers providing coverage in Delaware to cover certain immunizations and preventive services without requiring enrollees to pay copayments, coinsurance or deductibles. Governor Markell signed the bill into law on September 23rd, and it applies to policies issuing or renewing after June 30, 2011. A complete list of the immunizations and services covered under the new law can be found at http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html
While the Delaware insurance code previously mandated coverage for many of these services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies at certain ages, it did not prevent insurers from imposing co-pays or other charges on individuals receiving them.