The Obama administration unveiled new rules, today, specifying which preventive health services will be free to consumers under the new health law after Sept. 23. Mandated preventive care seeks to correct the problem of under utilization of preventive care services because of out-of-pocket expenses for consumers. Americans use preventive services at about 50% the recommended rate, according to research cited by the White House. Chronic diseases, which are often preventable, are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths among Americans each year and account for 75 percent of the nation's health spending.

Free preventive services are among the health insurance benefits that the White House is touting as it tries to show consumers that the health care overhaul has tangible benefits. The list of services likely to spark intense debate within the health industry over what's included and what gets left out.

• Children will get more than two dozen services, including vaccinations for influenza, diphtheria and tetanus, and screenings for hearing and vision impairment and autism.
• Women over 40 will still be able to get a mammogram screening every year or two.
• Colorectal cancer screening for adults over 50.
• Hepatitis B screening
• HIV screening for adults at high risk
• Depression screening for adults and adolescents
• Prenatal services including screenings for iron deficiency.
• Blood pressure screenings.
• Obesity screening and counseling for adults and children.
• Tobacco counseling for pregnant women

New health plans offered after September 23, 2010 must include these preventive services without a copayment or other direct costs for consumers on new health plans. However, these new health insurance plans are expected to be price higher than comparable old plans to cover the mandated services. Consumers who stick with their existing insurance plans won't benefit from the change, but it will become an individual health insurance comparison decision to determine if the new preventive benefits are worth the new health plan rates.

To determine which services qualify as preventive, government officials relied largely on existing recommendations by three groups, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The preventive services task force drew criticism last year for recommending that women delay annual mammogram services until age 50, instead of age 40. The health care law effectively ignores that recommendation, making mammograms a covered preventive service at age 40 under the law.