Health Plan Costs Keeping Unemployed from Coverage in COVID-19

Another reason to eliminate employer-based health plans.

Many individuals recently unemployed are struggling to find a new health plan due to health plan costs and limited availability.

Those who have been recently unemployed are finding health insurance costs to be a major barrier when replacing their employer-sponsored health plans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The study surveyed 1,500 US residents who had recently lost their jobs and their employer-sponsored health plan between March 9 and March 27, 2020. The poll itself was taken March 27 through March 29.

The exercise of obtaining a new health plan was not easy for many respondents. Over half of the individuals who were unemployed (54.7 percent) expressed that they had experienced difficulty in the process of looking for a new health plan. These problems ranged from finding a few plan options to encountering red tape barriers.

The number of unemployed persons skyrocketed between January and today. The latest figures available are only through March 31, 2019 

There are several items that may mitigate the acute financial impact on hospitals, providers, and patients.  The American Hospital Insurance Plans have outlined the plans for payors and recommend waivers for deductibles, copays, an extension for premium payments and other urgent accommodations to lessen financial impacts.

Health Insurance Providers Respond to Coronavirus (COVID-19) If approved the suggestions will afford several months for readjustments to occur.

For patients in the lowest income group at or below the poverty line Medicaid is an alternative, as well as the health insurance exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare)  In California more information, can be found at Covered California.









Health Plan Costs Keeping Unemployed from Coverage in COVID-19: