The Implications of Eliminating Essential Health Benefits: An Update

This brief explores the shares of a typical nongroup insurance premium attributable to an array of different benefits, and estimates the financial implications for people using those benefits should they be eliminated from the nongroup insurance benefit package.

The Affordable Care Act requires private nongroup insurers to cover 10 essential health benefits in each plan they offer. The law requires these benefits be provided to ensure that enrollees have adequate coverage for medically necessary services and prohibits insurers from placing annual or lifetime limits on this array of required benefits.