Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare) plans must have essential health benefits in order to comply with the new law. Unless your plan is grandfathered, it needs to contain these items.
The essential health benefits include at least the following items and services:
* Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital)
* Emergency services
* Hospitalization (such as surgery)
* Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (care before and after your baby is born)
* 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
