New preventive health benefits for women go into effect

NATIONAL -- Health insurance providers must now provide several health benefits for women.

Under the health care reform law, providers must now provide women with eight preventive health benefits to women for free.

The benefits include: contraceptives, pre-natal care, breast feeding supplies, screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and counseling for domestice violence.

"Surveys show that more than half of the women in this country delayed or avoided preventive care because of its cost, and that's simply not right," Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, said.

But only some women have access to the new services. Some insurance plans have grandfathered status and are exempt from offering the benefits.

Women will have to check with their employer to see if their insurance plans will cover the new services.