The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has gained a great deal of media attention. Recently, a number of provisions became effective. However, many are still waiting to see how employer healthcare programs will be affected by the laws.

A HighRoads study reveals that nearly half of employers plan to bolster their preventative care benefit offerings. Currently, 60 percent of respondents said they offer at least some preventative care services free of charge.

HighRoads principal Josh Miley says there may be a surge of people receiving preventative care services, especially if they have been forced to forgo care due to financial constraints in the past.

"Unfortunately, given the current economic environment, many believe that employees have foregone preventative care when copays are required in lieu of paying their mortgage or other necessary bills," says Miley. "This may contribute to a spike in utilization once copayments are removed."

Preventative care is extremely important for patients to receive. Early detection of some conditions can delay their onset. A heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes, for example, can be greatly reduced through proper diet and exercise.