1. (a) Provision of EHB means that a health plan provides benefits that—

   1. (1) Are substantially equal to the EHB-benchmark plan including:

      1. (i) Covered benefits;
      2. (ii) Limitations on coverage including coverage of benefit amount, duration, and scope; and
      3. (iii) Prescription drug benefits that meet the requirements of § 156.122 of this subpart;
   2. (2) With the exception of the EHB category of coverage for pediatric services, do not exclude an enrollee from coverage in an EHB category.
   3. (3) With respect to the mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment services, required under § 156.110(a)(5), comply with the requirements under section 2726 of the Public Health Service Act and its implementing regulations.
   4. (4) Include preventive health services described in § 147.130 of this subchapter.

   5. (5) With respect to habilitative services and devices—

      1. (i) Cover health care services and devices that help a person keep, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily living (habilitative services). Examples include therapy for a child who is not walking or talking at the expected age. These services may include physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and other services for people with disabilities in a variety of inpatient and/or outpatient settings;
      2. (ii) Do not impose limits on coverage of habilitative services and devices that are less favorable than any such limits imposed on coverage of rehabilitative services and devices; and
      3. (iii) For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, do not impose combined limits on habilitative and rehabilitative services and devices.
   6. (6) For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2016, for pediatric services that are required under § 156.110(a)(10), provide coverage for enrollees until at least the end of the month in which the enrollee turns 19 years of age.

2. (b) An issuer of a plan offering EHB may substitute benefits for those provided in the EHB-benchmark plan under the following conditions—

   1. (1) The issuer substitutes a benefit that:

      1. (i) Is actuarially equivalent to the benefit that is being replaced as determined in paragraph (b)(4) of this section; and
      2. (ii) Is not a prescription drug benefit.
   2. (2) An issuer may substitute a benefit within the same EHB category, unless prohibited by applicable State requirements. Substitution of benefits between EHB categories is not permitted.

   3. (3) The plan that includes substituted benefits must:

      1. (i) Continue to comply with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, including by providing benefits that are substantially equal to the EHB-benchmark plan;
      2. (ii) Provide an appropriate balance among the EHB categories such that benefits are not unduly weighted toward any category; and
      3. (iii) Provide benefits for diverse segments of the population.

   4. (4) The issuer submits to the State evidence of actuarial equivalence that is:

      1. (i) Certified by a member of the American Academy of Actuaries;
      2. (ii) Based on an analysis performed in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles and methodologies;
      3. (iii) Based on a standardized plan population; and
      4. (iv) Determined without taking cost-sharing into account.
3. (c) A health plan does not fail to provide EHB solely because it does not offer the services described in § 156.280(d) of this subchapter.
4. (d) For plan years beginning before January 1, 2026, an issuer of a plan offering EHB may not include routine non-pediatric dental services, routine non-pediatric eye exam services, long-term/custodial nursing home care benefits, or non-medically necessary orthodontia as EHB. For plan years beginning on any day in calendar year 2026, an issuer of a plan offering EHB may not include routine non-pediatric dental services, routine non-pediatric eye exam services, long-term/custodial nursing home care benefits, non-medically necessary orthodontia, or specified sex-trait modification procedures (as defined at § 156.400) as EHB. For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, an issuer of a plan offering EHB may not include routine non-pediatric eye exam services, long-term/custodial nursing home care benefits, non-medically necessary orthodontia, or specified sex-trait modification procedures (as defined at § 156.400) as EHB.

[78 FR 12866, Feb. 25, 2013, as amended at 80 FR 10871, Feb. 27, 2015; 81 FR 12349, Mar. 8, 2016; 83 FR 17069, Apr. 17, 2018; 86 FR 53506, Sept. 27, 2021; 87 FR 27390, May 6, 2022; 89 FR 26425, Apr. 15, 2024; 90 FR 27223, June 25, 2025]