Preventative health care costs to drop

Health care costs going down? It may seem that the impossible is happening, but it's true.

The government announced some of the regulations for the new health care plans that take effect September 23 as part of the health care reform legislation, and not only will the plans pay for routine preventative services -- including cancer screenings, routine vaccinations, pre-natal care, and wellness visits for infants and children -- but co-pays are being eliminated.

Some insurance company plans have previously offered some of the services without co-pays, but come September 23, all new health plans in the U.S. will have to include them in any coverage.

People who have group or company plans will get the new benefits whenever any major change is made in their plan.

The cheaper screenings are one part of the health care reform's efforts to reduce overall health care costs by catching potential health problems far earlier.

"Today, too many Americans do not get the high-quality preventive care they need to stay healthy, avoid or delay the onset of disease, lead productive lives, and reduce health care costs," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.