What is an essential health benefits package?

An essential health benefits package is a package of basic health care services that all health insurance plans offered in California must cover. This package is designed to provide a comprehensive set of health care benefits and services that meet the needs of all Californians. Essential health benefits include services such as hospitalizations, emergency services, preventive and wellness services, prescription drugs, mental health and substance use services, and rehabilitative and habilitative services. In addition, all plans must cover at least ten specific categories of service, including emergency services, hospitalization, mental health services, prescription drugs, and maternal and newborn care. California also requires that any health insurance plan offered on the Covered California website must include coverage of an Essential Health Benefits package, as well as coverage of certain additional benefits. These additional benefits include certain types of pediatric care, vision and hearing services, parental support services, and treatment for chronic conditions. Essential health benefits packages help ensure that Californians have access to basic and necessary health care services that meet their needs. This ensures that people have the coverage they need to stay healthy and to manage existing medical conditions. It can also help keep health care costs down by ensuring that people are not forced to purchase a separate plan for services that are not included in their health insurance coverage.

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What is an essential health benefits package?

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