All health insurance plans now share some common characteristics. Obamacare (also known as The Affordable Care Act or ACA) requires that all health insurance plans offered in the individual and small-group markets must provide a comprehensive package of items and services, known as "essential health benefits". These benefits fit into the following 10 categories:
Ambulatory patient services
Emergency services
Hospitalization
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
Pediatric services, including dental and vision care
The requirement for insurance plans to offer essential health benefits is just one of many changes in health coverage as of 2014.
Another important change is that consumers can no longer be denied coverage or charged extra due to pre-existing conditions. For people with chronic illnesses this is great news! Rates are based solely on the consumers’ age and home address.
For more information, please contact Shasta Health and we’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.