Minimum Essential Coverage Plans (MEC)
Our low-cost MEC plans give employees the health benefits required by law.
Our MEC plan options are solid, low-cost alternatives to traditional medical insurance.
BMA specializes in Minimum Essential Coverage plan options which helps employers comply with one of the two Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements under the Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions (ESRP). Our plans are perfect for small employers as BMA does not require our clients to have a minimum number of employees.
MEC eliminates the costly penalty that employers would otherwise have to pay for each employee under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by covering preventive and wellness-related tests and treatments.
MEC Plan Features
- Covers 100% of the government's listed Preventive and Wellness Benefits when members visit a network provider.
- Provides first dollar coverage with access to one of the largest national preferred provider organizations (PPO) available
- Strong PPO network discount savings
- Network savings can be used for services not covered by the MEC.
Covered Services in Minimum Essential Coverage
There are 63 preventive services covered at 100% under the required government list of Preventive and Wellness Benefits when a member visits a network provider. Services covered include immunizations, blood pressure screenings, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, prenatal visits for pregnant women and more. A full list of the covered services is included below.
Covered Preventive Services for Adults
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening
- Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
- Aspirin use for men and women of certain ages
- Blood Pressure screening
- Cholesterol screening
- Colorectal Cancer screening
- Depression screening
- Type 2 Diabetes screening
- Diet counseling
- Hepatitis B screening for people at high risk
- Hepatitis C screening
- HIV screening
- Immunization vaccines for adults (Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Herpes Zoster, Human Papillomavirus, Influenza (Flu Shot), Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
- Obesity screening and counseling
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling
- Tobacco Use screening and cessation
- Syphilis screening for adults at high risk
- PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis_ HIV prevention medication for HIV-negative adults at high risk
- Lung cancer screening for adults at high risk
- Statin prevention medication for adults at high risk
- Tuberculosis screening for certain adults without symptoms at high risk
- Fall Prevention for adults 65 years and over in a community setting
Covered Preventive Services for Women, Including Pregnant Women
- Routine prenatal visits for pregnant women
- Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
- BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk
- Breast Cancer Mammography screenings
- Every two years for women 50 and over
- As recommended by a provider for women 40-49 or women at high risk for breast cancer
- Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk
- Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, as well as access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women
- Cervical Cancer screening (Pap Smear for women age 21-65)
- Chlamydia Infection screening
- Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods and patient education and counseling, not including abortifacient drugs
- Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women
- Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
- PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) HIV prevention medication diabetes
- Gestational diabetes screening
- Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
- Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening and counseling
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing every three years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older
- Bone density screening for all women over age 65 or women age 64 and yonger that have gone through menopause
- Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up testing
- Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) counseling for sexually active women
- Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at increased risk
- Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive service
- Maternal depression screening for mothers at well-baby visits
- Preeclampsia prevention and screening for pregnant women with high blood pressure
- Urinary incontinence screening for women yearly
- Diabetes screening for women with a history of gestational
Covered Preventive Services for Children
- Alcohol and Drug Use assessments for adolescents
- Autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months
- Behavioral assessments for children limited to 5 assessments up to age 17
- Blood Pressure screening
- Depression screening for adolescents age 12 and older
- Developmental screening for children under age 3, and surveillance throughout childhood
- Dyslipidemia screening for children
- Fluoride supplements for children without Fluoride in their water source
- Gonorrhea preventive medication for the eyes of all newborns
- Hearing screening for all newborns
- Height, Weight and Body Mass Index measurements for children
- Hematocrit or Hemoglobin screening for children
- Hemoglobinopathies or sickle cell screening for newborns
- HIV screening for adolescents
- Immunization vaccines for children from birth to age 18—doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary (Hepatitis A, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Human Papillomavirus, Inactivated Poliovirus, Influenza (Flu Shot), Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, Varicella Iron supplements for children ages 6 to 12 months at risk for anemia
- Lead screening for children at risk of exposure
- Obesity screening and counseling
- Oral Health risk assessment for children up to age 10 Phenylketonuria (PKU) screening for this genetic disorder in newborns
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling and screening for adolescents at higher risk
- Tuberculin testing for children
- Vision screening for all children
- Bilirubin concentration screening for newborns
- Blood screening for newborns
- Hepatitis B screening for adolescents at a higher risk
- Hypothyroidism screening for newborns
- PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) HIV prevention medication for HIV-negative adolescents at high risk for getting HIV
- Well-baby and well-child visits
More Information
For more information regarding preventive care recommendations and immunizations, visit the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions or the United States Department of Human Services:
For Adults:
- Preventive Services for Adults: http://www.guideline.gov/browse/by-topic.aspx
- Immunization Schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines
For Women’s Health:
For Men’s Health:
For Children:
- Well child check-ups: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/
- Immunization schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines
Request a Consultation
Ready for the next step? Request a consultation to learn how MEC plans can serve the needs of your business.