Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 1/5
Under the Affordable Care Act, adult dental coverage in the individual market:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Under the ACA, only pediatric dental and vision services are included in the ten essential health benefit (EHB) categories that non-grandfathered individual and small group plans must cover. Adult dental care is not an EHB, so carriers may offer it as an optional rider or standalone product, but they are not required to include it. The mandatory-versus-optional distinction between pediatric and adult dental coverage is a specific tested point in the optional coverage material under AH-III.A.1c.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Only pediatric dental and vision are required EHBs; adult dental is not among the ten categories.
- C) Adult dental may be offered voluntarily as a rider or separate policy; it is not prohibited.
- D) Dental requirements do not vary by metal tier; no tier is forced to include adult dental.
Memory hook
Pediatric is mandatory; adult dental is a maybe, not a must.