How Do You Define “Essential”?: How Recent Decisions On Essential Health Benefits Will Affect The Field

How Do You Define "Essential"?: How Recent Decisions On Essential Health Benefits Will Affect The Field

On December 16, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a bulletin outlining policies that will give states more flexibility and freedom to implement the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) by defining essential health benefits through a benchmark approach.

States will have the flexibility to select a benchmark plan that reflects the scope of services offered by what has been defined as a "typical employer plan." This approach is designed to give states . . .