Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, and the Roberts family of San Luis Obispo joined first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday in announcing new regulations under the Affordable Care Act to require that private health insurance plans cover preventive care without patient co-pays.

Capps and the Roberts family attended a news conference at George Washington University Hospital to announce the new preventive care regulations with Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

Maggie Roberts introduced the first lady by recounting the story of how a well-baby exam for her son John at their local pediatrician’s office led to the early detection of neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor that often develops in infants. Were it not for the well-baby screening, Roberts said her son would not be alive today.

“Preventive care saves lives, and it is so important to tell stories like the one told by the Roberts family today,” Capps said. “I was proud to champion a provision of the new health-care reform law that requires coverage of preventive services by new insurance plans, and prohibits insurance companies from charging patients co-pays for these essential screenings. This is yet another example of how the Affordable Care Act will make the country healthier in the long run and reduce costs.”

The new Department of Health and Human Services regulations will require new insurance plans to cover evidence-based preventive screenings and eliminate cost sharing for such services. Depending on your age and health risks, the types of preventive services that will be available without a deductible, co-pay or co-insurance under these new provisions include:

» Blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests

» Many cancer screenings

» Routine vaccines for diseases such as measles, polio or meningitis

» Flu and pneumonia shots

» Counseling, screening and vaccines for healthy pregnancies

» Regular well-baby and well-child visits, from birth to age 21.

— Ashley Schapitl is the press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.