Many employee benefit programs offer wellness programs that can help workers improve their well-being or quit a bad habit, such as smoking. According to a new directive from the U.S. Department of Labor, health insurers moving forward may be required to provide coverage for certain types of treatments that have proven to help people no longer light up.
In the Frequently Asked Questions portion of the Affordable Care Act Implementation, the Labor Department released updated information about what health insurers must provide coverage for among policyholders who have some private or group plans. Without cost-sharing, insurers must cover various treatments for people trying to quit smoking, such as screening for tobacco use, tobacco cessation services and several counseling sessions, no shorter than 10 minutes each in length.
"This direction to insurers is an essential step toward fulfilling the promise of the law to help more tobacco users quit," said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "It establishes a minimum standard for what insurers must cover and provides tobacco users with an important tool to help them get the required coverage and treatment."
He added that it's incumbent upon the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to "effectively enforce" this rule so that individuals are provided with the necessary and appropriate type of coverage.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report about what progress has been made in reducing the prevalence of smoking among Americans in the past 50 years. While it noted that some substantial strides had been made, the improvements were not coming fast enough to help ensure more people's long-term health and well-being. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids was among several organizations that called on federal officials to clarify what insurers need to provide coverage for to reduce the smoking rate further and be in compliance with the ACA.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 42 million Americans smoke, or roughly 18 percent of all adults. It's believed to be the leading cause of preventable death among both men and women.
