United States of Care Submits Comments in Response to CMS and HHS’s Request for Information Regarding Essential Health Benefits  

On December 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input from stakeholders on what the federal government can do to improve coverage of benefits in health plans subject to EHB requirements, a key provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that identifies ten categories of benefits — such as outpatient care, prescription drugs, and mental health services — that all health plans offered through the ACA’s marketplaces must provide.

United States of Care (USofCare) has submitted comments in response to this RFI and provided input on what the federal government can do to improve coverage of benefits in health plans subject to the EHB requirements as they align with USofCare’s United Solutions for Care. We believe that this RFI is an important step in improving the overall quality of health care for all Americans by utilizing the EHB framework to overcome barriers to behavioral care and other treatments, improve access to telehealth, and identify existing gaps in coverage. Where possible, we include the stories of real people who we’ve engaged with as part of our listening work to emphasize the health care challenges facing Americans today.

USofCare appreciates the opportunity to respond to this RFI. We look forward to working with both CMS and HHS to ensure that the recommendations in these comments are reflected in future EHB and other policy changes.