The introduction and implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act placed the insurance industry and health care costs under public microscope. As politicians, insurance executives, doctors and consumers examine every cost associated with health care, preventative health care has become a topic of debate. Preventative healthcare saves lives and contributes to a better quality of life by diagnosing medical problems at earlier, more treatable stages. This article examines the effectiveness of preventive health care in containing health care costs and the overall health benefits for consumers. After a brief introduction to preventive health care, the paper provides evidence of prevention activities that generate significant savings for consumers, the effects of preventive care on health care providers, and their impact on consumer health. The success of preventive care will be demonstrated by linking the reduction of health care costs to the implementation of preventive care. Based on this correlation of success, a future preventive care plan can be built to ensure continued control of healthcare costs and better overall health for the consumer. Preventative care is not a new concept and dates back to the Carter administration, when health care cost containment was the first part of federal legislation. It is important to understand how preventative care is defined today. According to the 8th edition of Mosby's Medical Dictionary (2009), preventive care is defined as a pattern of nursing and medical care focused on preventing disease and maintaining health. It includes early diagnosis of disease, discovery and identification of people at risk of developing specific problems, counseling and other interventions necessary to avoid a problem...... middle of article.. ....the%20Public.pdf Johnson , P. A. and Fitzgerald, T. (2014). The Affordable Care Act and the opportunity to improve prevention among women: How to make the most of the law. Clinical Chemistry 101, 60(1), 138-140. doi:10.1373clinchem.2013.203703Maciosek MV, Coffield AB, Edwards NM, Flottemesch TJ, Goodman MJ, Solberg LI. Priorities among effective clinical prevention services: results of a systematic review and analysis. Am J Prev Med 2006;31:52-61Mokdad AH, Marks JS, Stroup DF, Gerberding JL. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA 2004; 291: 1238-1245 [Erratum, JAMA 2005; 293:293-4, 298.] Mosby, Inc (2009). Preventative care. In Mosby's Medical Dictionary (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. National Commission on Prevention Priorities. Preventive care: a national profile on utilization, disparities, and health benefits. Washington, DC: Partnership for Prevention; August 2007.