HHS Notice: HRSA Update to the Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines, 91 Fed. Reg. 283 (Jan. 5, 2026)
Available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-05/pdf/2025-24235.pdf
The HHS Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has issued updated women’s preventive services guidelines that were approved on December 29, 2025. As a reminder, non-grandfathered group health plans and insurers must cover without cost-sharing certain preventive services specified by HRSA, the United State Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Recommendations and guidelines are updated periodically, and non-grandfathered health plans generally must cover newly recommended services in plan years beginning on or after the date that is one year after the guideline is approved.
The updated HRSA guidelines add the following to the list of health services that must be covered without cost-sharing for plan years beginning on or after December 29, 2026:
- Self-collected cervical cancer screening for women aged 30 to 65 years with average risk.
- Additional testing if necessary to complete the screening process for malignancies (e.g., cytology, biopsy, colposcopy, extended genotyping, and dual stain).
The guidelines specify that while individuals meeting the specified criteria now have the option of self-testing, they may instead choose to have an HPV or Pap test performed by a provider.
EBIA Comment: Ongoing litigation has challenged the structure of the USPSTF, HRSA, and ACIP and their authority to determine the preventive health services that must be covered without cost-sharing under the Affordable Care Act. In June 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the authority of the USPSTF, but litigation continues over the authority of HRSA and ACIP. In the meantime, all recommendations remain in effect. Sponsors, administrators, and advisors of non-grandfathered plans should ensure that plan coverage and documentation are maintained in accordance with current guidelines. For more information, see EBIA’s Group Health Plan Mandates manual at Section XIV.C (“Required Preventive Health Services Coverage”), EBIA’s Health Care Reform manual at Section XII.C (“Coverage of Preventive Health Services”), and EBIA’s Self-Insured Health Plans manual at Section XIII.C.1 (“Preventive Health Services”).
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