Essential Health Benefits: Individual Market Coverage

The Affordable Care Act identified ten categories of services and items included in essential health benefits (EHBs). All ten categories of services and items must be covered by insurance offered in the individual and small group markets as of January 1, 2014. According to data on currently marketed plans submitted by health insurance companies to HealthCare.gov, many individuals and families who purchase their own health insurance do not currently have coverage for several of the categories of benefits included in EHBs, including maternity, mental health, substance abuse, and prescription drugs. Americans who buy coverage in the individual market in 2014 will gain access to all categories of essential health benefits. [2 PDF Pages]