Washington, DC

(July 14, 2010) - The new regulations in the Affordable Care Act will help put our nation’s health care system on a path towards prevention by helping more Americans reduce their risk for heart disease, stroke and other chronic illnesses. These regulations will enable more Americans to access potentially life-saving preventive services such as counseling for tobacco cessation and routine screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol – helping identify and reduce important risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Beginning this fall, new private health plans must provide first dollar coverage for preventive services that have strong scientific evidence of their health benefits.

In a recent survey, heart disease and stroke patients identified lack of money or insurance coverage as an important barrier to improving their health. Many admitted to delaying health screenings due to costly out-of-pocket fees. These new regulations will make disease prevention more accessible and affordable for all Americans and will help our organization reach its goal of optimum cardiovascular health for all Americans. The association believes simple steps such as maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol and choosing healthier foods will improve overall heart health. The new health reform law also eliminates cost-sharing for preventive services in Medicare and provides enhanced federal Medicaid matching funds to states for evidence-based preventive services. We look forward to working with the Administration to put these provisions into place and will continue to educate the public about their benefits.

For more information visit, http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/index.html.

Contact: Suzanne Ffolkes 
                Director of Media Advocacy
                202-785-7929