All health benefit plans issued after January 1, 2014 must provide which of the following services?

• A. Preventive health services
• B. Emergency medical treatment
• C. Prescription drug coverage
• D. Vision benefits

Answer: (A)

Under the Affordable Care Act, most health benefit plans issued after January 1, 2014 must cover preventive health services without any cost to the patient when provided by an in-network provider. This includes routine screenings, immunizations, and counseling to prevent illness and detect conditions early. The aim is to remove financial barriers to preventive care so people use these services regularly. While emergency medical treatment is required by EMTALA to be available in emergencies, and plans may include prescription drug coverage or vision benefits, those are not universally mandated as no-cost preventive services across all plans in the same way as preventive care is. Therefore, preventive health services are the services most clearly required for plans issued after the given date.