Which of the following counts as 'minimum essential coverage' (MEC)?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Minimum essential coverage is the coverage a person must generally hold to satisfy the federal individual responsibility provision. The statute enumerates the categories that qualify, including Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, employer-sponsored group health plans, individually purchased market plans, TRICARE, VA coverage, and other government programs. Short-term limited-duration policies, stand-alone dental and vision plans, and most limited-benefit products do not count as MEC. The distinction among MEC, QHP, and EHB is a specific ACA exam point, and recognizing which products qualify as MEC is essential to answering such questions correctly.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Catastrophic plans sold on an exchange do qualify as MEC, but they are not the only qualifying coverage. The MEC category includes Medicare, Medicaid, employer plans, and market plans generally.
- C) Short-term limited-duration policies are generally NOT minimum essential coverage. That is precisely why they are a distinct, non-ACA-compliant product outside the MEC framework.
- D) Stand-alone dental and vision plans do not satisfy the individual coverage requirement and are not MEC, even though they provide some coverage.
Memory hook
MEC = the family of coverage that counts: Medicare, Medicaid, employer, and marketplace plans.