COVID-19 Next Steps: Help Americans Maintain Coverage and Access Care

As the nation continues to address the health threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak, ensuring that Americans maintain access to affordable health insurance and the security it provides is ever more critical.

With Congress working on additional steps to meet the twin challenges of the pandemic and the extraordinary economic distress that’s resulted from it, lawmakers must take immediate steps to bolster the coverage safety net. There are critical actions they should take in the next legislative package to address COVID-19. 

Help people maintain and afford coverage 

With the rapid economic downturn and surge in job losses, it’s vital to take steps to help people maintain and afford coverage. Congress should provide temporary subsidies or direct financial assistance to employers of all sizes that are seeking to maintain coverage for their employees.

Likewise, for those who purchase coverage in the individual market, lawmakers should ensure more affordable premiums by enhancing financial assistance and reducing the proportion of premiums individuals are required to contribute.

And, for those who have lost their employer-sponsored coverage due to being furloughed or terminated, Congress should temporarily subsidize COBRA premiums so they can keep their coverage—and continue to receive care from their current doctors, hospitals and other clinicians they know and are comfortable with.

Help States Protect Medicaid

The economic downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven the unemployment rate to record levels, causing millions more people to qualify for Medicaid coverage. The crisis also has resulted in significant shortfalls in state budgets that could force state officials to make harmful cuts to Medicaid. To ensure that Medicaid enrollees continue to receive reliable access to quality care, Congress should increase the share of Medicaid costs paid by the federal government, called the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).

See our recommendations for how to protect Medicaid. 

Expand access to coverage for those who are uninsured

To give people who are without insurance the opportunity to obtain individual coverage, nearly every state that operates its own marketplace has already acted to create a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) or has extended an already available SEP. Congress should follow suit and implement a one-time SEP in the federally run individual marketplace. In order for a federal SEP to be effective, it must have an effective date that occurs in the future, must be limited to 30 days and be available to people broadly, not just those diagnosed with COVID-19.

End Surprise Bills

Lawmakers have been working for months to end surprise bills and the current crisis underscores how urgent it is for them to act now to stop consumers from receiving these unexpected and often excessive bills. Congress should end balance billing and surprise bills once and for all as part of its next legislative package on COVID-19.

See our recommendations for how to end surprise bills without raising costs. 

Additional Resources

• Read the BCBSA/AHIP joint letter to Congress urging immediate bipartisan action for COVID-19 relief.
• See our joint letter urging federal funding for testing in the next COVID-19 package.
• Read the joint AHIP-BCBSA recommendations for the next congressional COVID legislation.
• Learn what the CARES Act does.
• Read our joint letter to Congressional leaders urging assistance for maintaining healthcare coverage during the COVD-19 crisis.
• Read the full press release on BCBSA’s commitment to protect the health and safety of members and communities.
• Read how the BCBS Federal Employee Program® is supporting federal workers and their families.