What are essential health benefits?
Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) are the 10 categories of care every ACA-qualified Marketplace plan must cover, including ambulatory care, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance-use services, prescription drugs, rehabilitative services, laboratory services, preventive and wellness services, and pediatric services including dental and vision, per HealthCare.gov (2026).
More on this topic: affordable care act
What the government has said, on the record
Here's how a federal official described it, on the record:
“All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits: Ambulatory patient services; Emergency services; Hospitalization; Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care; Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; Prescription drugs; Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; Laboratory services; Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and Pediatric services, including oral and vision care.”
— Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HealthCare.gov), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services), HealthCare.gov, What Marketplace health insurance plans cover (source)
Editor's note: From official HealthCare.gov (CMS) consumer guidance. Confirm current details at HealthCare.gov.
Who said this
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HealthCare.gov) · Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
Also asked as
- What must ACA plans cover?
- 10 essential health benefits list
Sources
Last verified: 2026-07-19