The
Affordable Care Act establishes state-based and regional health insurance exchanges. All health plans participating on such exchanges must ensure a wide choice of providers, including essential community providers that serve predominately low‐income, medically‐underserved individuals. All qualified health plans operating on an exchange must offer a base level of coverage known as the essential benefits package. NAPH is working to 1) ensure that safety net health systems are included in the provider networks of qualified health plans, 2) ensure that safety net health plans are able to participate in an exchange as a qualified health plan, and 3) ensure that the essential benefits package covers services that are critical to meeting the needs of vulnerable patients.