Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
A Qualified Health Plan (QHP) differs from merely meeting minimum essential coverage (MEC) because a QHP must:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Minimum essential coverage (MEC) is a broader category that includes employer plans, COBRA, Medicare, and other qualifying coverage. A Qualified Health Plan is a specific type of plan certified by the exchange to be offered there, and it must meet standards on essential health benefits, actuarial value, provider networks, and quality. The key distinction is exchange certification with regulatory oversight. This QHP-versus-MEC comparison is examined under AH-III.C.4, alongside the EHB categories and metal-tier actuarial values.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) QHPs may include deductibles; there is no requirement that they be deductible-free.
- C) QHPs cover the ten essential benefit categories, not catastrophic-only events, which are a separate plan type.
- D) QHPs charge premiums; exchange certification does not make them free.
Memory hook
All QHPs are MEC, but only exchange-certified plans earn the QHP title.