Which of the following best describes minimum essential coverage (MEC) under the ACA?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Minimum essential coverage (MEC) is the ACA term for coverage that satisfies the individual responsibility requirement. MEC includes employer-sponsored group plans, individual market plans, marketplace QHPs, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, and certain other government programs. Whether a plan counts as MEC is a yes-or-no question of plan type and benefits, not of price. Short-term limited-duration policies and workers' compensation are generally not MEC. Whether coverage qualifies as MEC determines the individual's compliance with the ACA coverage requirement and, more importantly for agents, whether a client has a coverage gap that needs to be bridged.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) MEC is about the category of coverage satisfying the mandate, not about the plan's price or metal tier.
- C) Short-term limited-duration policies are generally not treated as MEC; they do not satisfy the ACA coverage standard.
- D) Workers' compensation is not MEC; it covers only occupational injuries and does not count toward the individual mandate.
Memory hook
MEC = enough coverage to satisfy the mandate. Employer, marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid — all count.