In order to meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, all individual (also called "private") health insurance plans must offer the same set of ten essential health benefits. These are services all plans must cover.

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 servicesHospitalization (such as surgery)
  • 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

Essential health benefits are minimum requirements for all plans under the ACA - "Obamacare." Of course, health plans may offer additional coverage.