Health Insurance

6 Health Insurance Benefits Benefits are the services your health insurance pays for. To use a benefit, you must need it. Your health insurance only pays for services that are medically necessary. Most health insurance in California covers a wide range of basic services, including (also known as Essential Health Benefits): • Hospital care • Visits to a primary care doctor and specialists • Outpatient procedures, like surgery • Laboratory tests and diagnostic services, like x-rays, mammograms and blood tests • Pregnancy and newborn care • Preventive and routine care, like vaccinations and checkups • Mental health care (including therapy for autism) • Emergency and urgent care • Rehabilitation therapy, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy • Some home health or nursing home care after a hospital stay The benefits listed above are also called essential health benefits and only policies that cover these items qualify as minimum essential coverage. Preventive Care Preventive care helps you stay healthy. It also helps doctors catch health problems early. It includes: