Recent decisions put spotlight on task force that formerly went unnoticed by public

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is the most powerful group of doctors no one—outside of healthcare wonks—has ever heard of, but the group's recent decisions have brought it into the limelight.

Recently, the group said most women don't need a yearly mammogram until the age of 50 and most men shouldn't be screened for prostate cancer, raising concerns by medical organizations and other stakeholders.

But, the Affordable Care Act gave the task force greater influence in deciding the preventive services insurers must cover. Learn more:

Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

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