Essential Benefits without annual and lifetime limits are required on health policies purchased through which channel?

Health policies purchased through the Federal Marketplace are mandated to include essential health benefits without annual and lifetime limits. This requirement is part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which aims to ensure that all insurance plans available through the marketplace provide a comprehensive set of medical services and protect consumers from excessive out-of-pocket expenses due to high medical costs.

The essence of this regulation is to promote fairness and accessibility in healthcare. By requiring plans to cover essential benefits without imposing annual or lifetime caps, the Federal Marketplace ensures that individuals have access to necessary medical care without the fear of financial ruin should they require extensive treatment.

In contrast, while private insurance companies and state healthcare exchanges may offer plans that adhere to these principles, they are not universally required to do so outside the Federal Marketplace context. Employer-sponsored plans, depending on their design and whether they meet certain criteria, may also have different stipulations regarding coverage limits. The key distinction for the Federal Marketplace is the inherent consumer protections set out in the ACA that safeguard against the financial pitfalls of healthcare expenses.