In the News

Access to preventive health care services for military members and their families could be expanded, under legislation introduced Thursday by Rep. Salud Carbajal.

Under the Strengthening Preventive Health Care for Service Members Act, the Department of Defense could provide immediate access to preventive screening services for military personnel and their families.

It would cover services such as well-child care for children through age 17, free contraceptive care and gestational diabetes screening without copayment.

That access would help address the gap between civilian and military insurance requirements, according to a news release on Carbajal’s website.

“Congress needs to focus on fixing and improving our health care systems for our service members and civilians,” Carbajal said in the release, “not rolling back insurance access for millions of Americans.”

Carbajal, a Democrat and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced the bill shortly after Republicans announced their proposal for overhauling the Affordable Care Act.