What counts as minimum essential coverage?

Minimum essential coverage includes the following:

• Employer-sponsored coverage, including self-insured plans, COBRA coverage and retiree coverage
• Coverage purchased in the individual market, including a qualified health plan offered by the Health Insurance Marketplace 
• Medicare Part A coverage and Medicare Advantage plans
• Most Medicaid coverage
• Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage
• Certain types of veterans health coverage administered by the Veterans Administration
• Most types of TRICARE coverage under chapter 55 of title 10 of the United States Code
• Coverage provided to Peace Corps volunteers
• Coverage under the Nonappropriated Fund Health Benefit Program
• Refugee Medical Assistance supported by the Administration for Children and Families
• Self-funded health coverage offered to students by universities for plan or policy years that begin on or before Dec. 31, 2014 (for later plan or policy years, sponsors of these programs may apply to HHS to be recognized as minimum essential coverage)
• State high risk pools for plan or policy years that begin on or before Dec. 31, 2014 (for later plan or policy years, sponsors of these program may apply to HHS to be recognized as minimum essential coverage)
• Other coverage recognized by the Secretary of HHS as minimum essential coverage

Minimum essential coverage does not include coverage providing only limited benefits, such as the following:

• Coverage consisting solely of excepted benefits, such as: 
• Medicaid providing only family planning services
• Stand-alone vision care or dental care
• Workers' compensation
• Accident or disability policies
• Medicaid providing only tuberculosis-related services
• Medicaid providing only coverage limited to treatment of emergency medical conditions
• Pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage*
• Medicaid coverage for the medically needy*
• Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration projects*
• Space available TRICARE coverage provided under chapter 55 of title 10 of the United States Code for individuals who are not eligible for TRICARE coverage for health care services from private sector providers*
• Line of duty TRICARE coverage provided under chapter 55 of title 10 of the United States Code*

* These categories of coverage are generally not minimum essential coverage. However, to the extent that certain programs within these categories provide comprehensive coverage, the Secretary of HHS may recognize these programs as minimum essential coverage in the future. The IRS in Notice 2014-10 announced relief from the shared responsibility payment for months in 2014 in which individuals are covered under any of these programs to the extent that they are not minimum essential coverage. Information will be made available later about how the income tax return will take account of coverage under one of these programs.