2023 Updates to Preventive Services for Women

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) updated the preventive services for women, effective for non-grandfathered group health plans for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2023. These Health Care Reform (ACA/PPACA) requirements implement certain preventive health services for all adults, women, and children. The requirement is to cover the services with no member cost share for in-network benefits (members pay no copayment, coinsurance, deductible or other cost sharing).

Updated Guidelines include:

• Breastfeeding Services and Supplies: Provides additional information of what breastfeeding equipment and supplies must be included. 
• Contraception: Expands the definition of contraceptive care and updates contraceptives to include all current contraceptives listed in the FDA Birth Control Guide. 
• Counseling for sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Update reflects that clinicians “review” instead of “use” a woman’s sexual history and risk factors to help identify those who are at an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections.
• Screening for human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV): Specifies that all adolescents (age 15 and older) and adult women should receive an HIV screening test at least once during their lifetime. It also indicates that additional screening, beginning as early as 13 years of age, may be appropriate based on risk factors. 
• Well Women Visits: Acknowledges that well-women services may take place in a single visit or as part of a series of visits depending on factors such as age, health status, pregnancy status, and other factors. 
• New Guideline Obesity Prevention in Midlife Women: This guideline adds counseling services for women between the ages of 40 and 60 with normal to overweight body mass index (BMI) to discuss weight maintenance and obesity prevention. 

For a more detailed side-by-side comparison of the current and updated guidance beginning in 2023, see the HRSA-Supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines: New and Updated Guidelines Chart. This webpage also provides a summary of all existing women’s preventive services guidelines.