Brief The COVID-19 Pandemic – Insurer Insights Into Challenges, Implications, and Lessons Learned
Kevin Lucia, Linda J. Blumberg, Emily Curran, John Holahan, Erik Wengle, Olivia Hoppe, Sabrina Corlette
Display Date
File
File
Download Report
(337.33 KB)

This brief examines insurer responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted structured discussions with 25 different insurers across the country to assess the impact the pandemic has had on their companies as well as actions they have taken to aid in the pandemic response. From a coverage perspective it appears that many employers have kept workers enrolled in benefits longer than anticipated and so insurers have not seen large decreases in ESI coverage. These insurers have seen large increases within their own Medicaid enrollment, but lower than initially expected and forecasted. Insurers have taken several steps to aid providers financially during the pandemic including accelerating payments, offering loan assistance support, and making payments on value-based contracts, regardless of initial targets. Insurers anticipate a future increase in individual market enrollment as the pandemic and economic effects take shape. Though insurers have only begun to identify “lessons learned” from the early phases of the pandemic, this experience has better prepared them to some extent for what is to come. 

Research Areas Health and health care
Tags Health insurance Federal health care reform Health care delivery and payment Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program  Private insurance Public health
Policy Centers Health Policy Center