Leslie Gonzales is an advocate for Previvors who specializes in medical benefits. She has worked for most major carriers over the duration of her career as a licensed pharma tech and insurance agent.

Hello Ladies! I will be extremely busy over the next month while I prepare for healthcare reform, but I wanted to remind old and new members about the changes that will directly affect our community.

With all of the changes, I wanted you to keep in mind that whether you have Medicare, Medicaid, insurance that is employer or individual based, reform will alter almost all plans. There are some exceptions that include faith based organizations, employers that are “grandfathering” in previous policies, and specific states that have chosen a lower minimum plan. These plans will NOT have to adopt healthcare reform changes, but if you are on one of these plans, the employer and insurance companies are obligated to inform you if these exeptions will apply to you.

Here are some highlights that will help many of us save a small fortune in medical expenses as they will now be considered “preventative” and not subject to coinsurance and deductibles:

1. Genetic testing and counseling.
2. Mammography for high risk women (age limits will not apply)
3. Chemoprevention counseling for high risk women
4. Doctor visits for family planning services (birth control)

Please, please, please keep in mind that most large insurers will adopt healthcare reform, but if you live in a state that has selected a lower threshold of coverage and you have a large carrier, some of the the essential benefits may still not be covered for you. Many states have not finalized their plans and as a result many of us on large carriers through employers may not receive notification of plan changes until reform takes effect. As I receive more info, I will try to keep everyone informed of the positive changes that will help us stay previvors!