By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The Obama Administration has extended for a second time a requirement that health care policies meet minimum levels of coverage. The federal government will now give consumers another two years, until October 2016, to purchase health plans that comply with the coverage standards. Consumers had already been given a one year reprieve last November. The extension is voluntary for states and insurers so its impact is unclear.
As of 2014, most policies offered through exchanges and in the individual and small group market were to have covered 10 categories deemed to be essential. Service categories include doctor/outpatient, emergency, hospitalization, maternity/newborn, pediatric, mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, laboratory, preventive and wellness, and coverage for prescription drugs, oral and vision care.
For more information, visit www.sema.org/healthcare or contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.