In this title,1 the term "essential health benefits package" means, with respect to any health plan, coverage that-
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall define the essential health benefits, except that such benefits shall include at least the following general categories and the items and services covered within the categories:
The Secretary shall ensure that the scope of the essential health benefits under paragraph (1) is equal to the scope of benefits provided under a typical employer plan, as determined by the Secretary. To inform this determination, the Secretary of Labor shall conduct a survey of employer-sponsored coverage to determine the benefits typically covered by employers, including multiemployer plans, and provide a report on such survey to the Secretary.
In defining the essential health benefits described in paragraph (1), and in revising the benefits under paragraph (4)(H), the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress containing a certification from the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that such essential health benefits meet the limitation described in paragraph (2).
In defining the essential health benefits described in paragraph (1), and in revising the benefits under paragraph (4)(H), the Secretary shall provide notice and an opportunity for public comment.
In defining the essential health benefits under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall-
Nothing in this title 1 shall be construed to prohibit a health plan from providing benefits in excess of the essential health benefits described in this subsection.
The cost-sharing incurred under a health plan with respect to self-only coverage or coverage other than self-only coverage for a plan year beginning in 2014 shall not exceed the dollar amounts in effect under section 223(c)(2)(A)(ii) of title 26 for self-only and family coverage, respectively, for taxable years beginning in 2014.
In the case of any plan year beginning in a calendar year after 2014, the limitation under this paragraph shall-
If the amount of any increase under clause (i) is not a multiple of $50, such increase shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $50.
In this title- 1
The term "cost-sharing" includes-
Such term does not include premiums, balance billing amounts for non-network providers, or spending for non-covered services.
For purposes of paragraph (1)(B)(i), the premium adjustment percentage for any calendar year is the percentage (if any) by which the average per capita premium for health insurance coverage in the United States for the preceding calendar year (as estimated by the Secretary no later than October 1 of such preceding calendar year) exceeds such average per capita premium for 2013 (as determined by the Secretary).
The levels of coverage described in this subsection are as follows:
A plan in the bronze level shall provide a level of coverage that is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 60 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan.
A plan in the silver level shall provide a level of coverage that is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 70 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan.
A plan in the gold level shall provide a level of coverage that is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 80 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan.
A plan in the platinum level shall provide a level of coverage that is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 90 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan.
Under regulations issued by the Secretary, the level of coverage of a plan shall be determined on the basis that the essential health benefits described in subsection (b) shall be provided to a standard population (and without regard to the population the plan may actually provide benefits to).
The Secretary shall issue regulations under which employer contributions to a health savings account (within the meaning of section 223 of title 26) may be taken into account in determining the level of coverage for a plan of the employer.
In determining under this title,1 the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.], or title 26 the percentage of the total allowed costs of benefits provided under a group health plan or health insurance coverage that are provided by such plan or coverage, the rules contained in the regulations under this paragraph shall apply.
The Secretary shall develop guidelines to provide for a de minimis variation in the actuarial valuations used in determining the level of coverage of a plan to account for differences in actuarial estimates.
In this title,1 any reference to a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum plan shall be treated as a reference to a qualified health plan providing a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum level of coverage, as the case may be.
A health plan not providing a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum level of coverage shall be treated as meeting the requirements of subsection (d) with respect to any plan year if-
An individual is described in this paragraph for any plan year if the individual-
If a health insurance issuer offers a health plan described in this subsection, the issuer may only offer the plan in the individual market.
If a qualified health plan is offered through the Exchange in any level of coverage specified under subsection (d), the issuer shall also offer that plan through the Exchange in that level as a plan in which the only enrollees are individuals who, as of the beginning of a plan year, have not attained the age of 21, and such plan shall be treated as a qualified health plan.
If any item or service covered by a qualified health plan is provided by a Federally-qualified health center (as defined in section 1396d(l)(2)(B) of this title) to an enrollee of the plan, the offeror of the plan shall pay to the center for the item or service an amount that is not less than the amount of payment that would have been paid to the center under section 1396a(bb) of this title) for such item or service.
1 See References in Text note below.
2 So in original. Probably should be "paragraph,".
3 So in original. Probably should be "18031(d)(2)(B)(ii)".
4 So in original. The word "and" probably should not appear.
42 U.S.C. § 18022
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis title, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b)(5), (d)(2)(C), (4), and (e)(2)(B), is title I of Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 130, which enacted this chapter and enacted, amended, and transferred numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables. The Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(C), is act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, 58 Stat. 682, which is classified generally to chapter 6A (§201 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 201 of this title and Tables.Section 2713, referred to in subsec. (e)(1)(B)(i), probably means section 2713 of act July 1, 1944, which is classified to section 300gg-13 of this title.
AMENDMENTS2014-Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 113-93, §213(a)(1), struck out par. (2) which related to annual limitation on deductibles for employer-sponsored plans. Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 113-93, §213(a)(2), which directed amendment of par. (4)(A) by substituting "paragraph (1)(B)(i)" for "paragraphs (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B)(i)", was executed by making the substitution in par. (4) to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 2010-Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111-148, §10104(b)(1), substituted "shall issue" for "may issue". Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111-148, §10104(b)(2), added subsec. (g).
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2014 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 113-93 effective as if included in the enactment of Pub. L. 111-148, see section 213(c) of Pub. L. 113-93, set out as a note under section 300gg-6 of this title.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1 See References in Text note below.