Healthcare Reform to Assist Uninsured Women

Beginning in 2014, all health plans sold through the new state insurance exchanges, as well as the individual and small?group markets, will be required to include coverage of maternity and newborn care, as part of a federally determined essential benefits package.

Grandfathered plans or those in existence on March 23, 2010 in those markets will not have to comply with that standard. Instead, the benefits package will be similar to packages offered through employer plans and will include:

• ambulatory patient services;
• emergency services;
• hospitalizations;
• mental health and substance use disorder ser  vices, including behavioral health;
• prescription drugs;
• rehabilitative services and devices;
• laboratory services.