Which statement about the ACA framework is true?

• A. It removed the requirement for Essential Health Benefits.
• B. It allowed unlimited out-of-pocket costs for plans.
• C. It established Health Insurance Marketplaces and required Essential Health Benefits.
• D. It prohibits Medicaid expansion in all states.

Answer: (C)

The ACA framework centers on creating Health Insurance Marketplaces where individuals and small employers can compare and purchase plans, along with a defined set of minimum benefits that private plans must cover called Essential Health Benefits. Marketplaces standardize plan options and often provide subsidies to help people with lower incomes afford coverage. Essential Health Benefits ensure that plans cover a broad, core set of services across categories like preventive care, hospitalization, emergency services, prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care, mental health, and more, with safeguards such as maximum out-of-pocket limits.

This is why the statement about establishing Marketplaces and requiring Essential Health Benefits is the true description. The other choices don’t fit: the ACA did not remove the EHB requirement, it did not permit unlimited out-of-pocket costs (there are caps), and Medicaid expansion is optional by state rather than prohibited in all states.