Any policy of health insurance that provides coverage for maternity care must also cover

All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits:

  • Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalization (like surgery and overnight stays)
  • Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth)
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy)
  • Prescription drugs
  • Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)
  • Laboratory services
  • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
  • Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)

Additional benefits

Plans must also include the following benefits:

  • Birth control coverage
  • Breastfeeding coverage

Essential health benefits are minimum requirements for all Marketplace plans. Specific services covered in each broad benefit category can vary based on your state’s requirements. Plans may offer additional benefits, including:

  • Dental coverage
  • Vision coverage
  • Medical management programs (for specific needs like weight management, back pain, and diabetes)

When comparing plans, you’ll see exactly what each plan offers.

More answers

Are the benefits the same in each state?

Generally, yes. But some states require insurers to cover additional services and procedures. Even within the same state, there can be small differences.

When you compare plans in the Marketplace, you'll see the specific benefits each plan offers.

What if I need a specific treatment that's not on this list?

Plans may cover other services. When you compare plans, you’ll see more detailed information about what’s covered. If you want to find out if a particular service is covered, call the plan.

Do all types of Marketplace plans cover essential health benefits?

Yes. Any plan shown in the Marketplace includes these essential health benefits. This is true for all plan categories (all “metal levels,” including Catastrophic plans) and all plan types (like HMO and PPO).

Do I have to pay deductibles and copayments for essential health benefits?

Generally, yes. All Marketplace plans have deductibles, copayments, and other out-of-pocket costs that apply to most covered services.

Some preventive services are free, and some plans cover other services without out-of-pocket costs.

Do I get these benefits if my company is self-insured?

It depends. Large employers who "self-insure” — meaning they pay employees' health care costs directly — don't have to provide essential health benefits. But many do. Check with your employer to find out if it’s self-insured and what services are covered.

Are abortion services covered by Marketplace plans?

Sometimes, and plans may have different restrictions. Some offer no coverage or coverage with restrictions. In some cases abortion services cannot be paid for with federal dollars (these are known as “non-Hyde” abortion services).

Contact each plan to learn about its abortion coverage.

Do I get these benefits if I have a grandfathered plan?

It depends. Many grandfathered plans cover essential health benefits, but they’re not required to. To be sure, check with your employer or health plan.

Learn more about grandfathered health plans.

There are essential health benefits that must be covered under the Affordable Care Act. Under Washington state law, certain individual/family and group plans must also offer the following benefits. 

Note: Health plans are required to include these benefits. However, your medical services, supplies and prescription drugs are still subject to the plan’s medical necessity criteria. 

Essential health benefits in Washington state by health plan type
Health benefitDescriptionPlan type*

Abortion coverage limitations (effective 1/1/2019) (leg.wa.gov)

Voluntary abortion or terminating a pregnancy may be included in a health plan's essential health benefits package. However, if a health plan provides maternity care or services, it must also provide coverage to allow 

Individual /family
Group

Anesthesia for dental services (leg.wa.gov)

General anesthesia and related facility charges for dental procedures performed in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center must be covered for children under age seven and other specified individuals.

Group

Cancer chemotherapy medications (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans covering cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide coverage for self-administered anticancer medication comparable to chemotherapy medications administered by a health care provider.

Individual/family 
Group (effective Jan. 1, 2012)

Chemical dependency (leg.wa.gov)

Treatment of chemical dependency must be covered in an approved treatment facility program.

Group

Colorectal cancer exams and lab tests (leg.wa.gov)

Colorectal cancer examinations and lab tests consistent with the recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must be covered.

Individual/family
Group

Congenital anomalies in children and newborns (leg.wa.gov)

Newborn infants must be covered from birth. The coverage must include treatment of congenital anomalies.

Individual/family
Group

Contraceptive coverage (leg.wa.gov)

Contraceptive coverage (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans with comprehensive prescription coverage must cover contraceptives the same as other prescription drugs/and or devices. 

Effective Jan. 1, 2019, health plans must provide coverage for all prescription and over-the-counter contraceptive drugs, devices and products approved by the FDA without requiring copayments, deductibles or cost sharing.

Individual/family
Group

Diabetes coverage (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover medically necessary diabetes equipment, supplies, education and training.

Individual/family
Group

Donor human milk (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must provide coverage for medically necessary donor human milk for inpatient use when a licensed health care provider or board certified lactation consultant prescribes and orders it under these circumstances:

  • An infant who is medically or physically cannot receive maternal human milk or participate in chest feeding
  • A parent who is medically or physically unable to produce maternal human milk in sufficient quantities or caloric density or participate in chest feeding.
Group (Effective Jan. 1, 2023)

Emergency medical services in an emergency department (leg.wa.gov)

Emergency services must be covered by health plans if a medical provider believes a patient is having an emergency. 

Individual/family
Group

Gender affirming care (leg.wa.gov)

Health insurers generally cannot exclude, deny or limit medically-necessary gender-affirming treatment.

Individual/family
Group

Injury caused by intoxication or narcotics (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans cannot deny coverage of an injury only because it was sustained while intoxicated or under the influence of a narcotic.

Individual/family
Group

Mammograms (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover screening or diagnostic mammography services if recommended by a physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner.

Individual/family
Group

Maternity and drug coverage (leg.wa.gov)

All individual health plans must include coverage for maternity services and prescription drug coverage.

Individual

Mental health parity (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover mental health services the same way they cover medical and surgical services.

Individual/family
Group

Neurodevelopmental therapies (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover neurodevelopmental therapies (occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy) for enrollees age six or younger.

Group

Phenylketonuria (PKU) (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover the formulas necessary to treat PKU.

Individual/family
Group

Prostate cancer screening (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must cover prostate cancer screenings recommend by the patient's physician, advanced registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

Individual/family
Group

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) (leg.wa.gov)

Offer employers optional coverage for TMJ, a condition that causes jaw joint and muscle pain. (Employers are not required to include this benefit in the plan.)

Group

Voluntary sterilization (effective 1/1/2019) (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must provide coverage for voluntary sterilization without requiring copayments, deductibles or cost sharing.

Individual/family
Group

Women’s health care services (leg.wa.gov)

Health plans must provide access to women’s health services through in-network providers. Services include: maternity, reproductive health, gynecological care, general exams and preventive services.

Individual/family
Group

*Individual/family health plan: A plan individuals and their dependents buy directly from an insurance agent or through the state's health benefit exchange (wahealthplanfinder.org).

*Group health plan: A health insurance policy or a health care services contract (HCSC) that covers a group of employees. Health care coverage occurs under a master policy issued to the employer or other group.

How long after a baby is born is it covered under the mother's insurance?

If you're found eligible during your pregnancy, you'll be covered for 60 days after you give birth. After 60 days, you may no longer qualify.

Is pregnancy a pre existing condition?

Yes. You can be pregnant when you sign up for health insurance. If this happens, pregnancy is called a pre-existing condition. This means you had the condition (you were pregnant) before you sign up for health insurance.

Which of the following riders provides for a waiver of premium when the policy owner?

A payor benefit rider provides a temporary waiver of the policy premium if the premium payor dies, until the minor insured reaches the age stated in the policy (usually 18 or 21).

At what age are individuals become eligible for Florida Healthy Kids coverage quizlet?

Only children under the age of 19 are eligible for Florida Healthy Kids coverage. Long-term care policies require that in addition to the applicant at least one person must be designated in the policy.