America’s leading doctors, nurses, clinicians, hospitals, health insurance providers, biopharmaceutical companies and employers are committed to working together to defeat and overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
At this critical moment, when the nation is depending on our health care system, let’s work together to help Americans get healthy and stay healthy, and provide everyone with access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care.
Working Together
At this critical moment, we’re committed to working together to ensure every patient has access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care. As we work together to defeat and overcome COVID-19, America’s health care partners are working to help Americans get healthy and stay healthy. We’ll be updating this resource center in real-time to ensure access to the latest information.
These are just a few examples:
Expanding Access to Coverage:
In response to COVID-19, many states and health insurance providers are working together to ensure access to health coverage through special enrollment periods. The following state-run exchanges have announced Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs):
California
- CoveredCA.com
- (800) 300-1506
Colorado
- ConnectforHealthCO.com
- 1-855-752-6749
Connecticut
- AccessHealthCT.com
- 1-855-365-2428
District of Columbia
- dchealthlink.com
- 1-855-532-5465
Maryland
- MarylandHealthConnection.gov
- 1-855-642-8572
Massachusetts
- MAHealthConnector.org
- 1-877-623-6765
Minnesota
- mnsure.org
- 651-539-2099 (855-366-7873 outside the Twin Cities)
Nevada
- NevadaHealthLink.com
- 1-800-547-2927
New York
- NYStateOfHealth.ny.gov
- 1-855-355-5777
Rhode Island
- HealthSourceRI.com
- 1-855-840-4774
Washington
- WAHealthPlanFinder.org
- 1-855-923-4633
Vermont
- portal.healthconnect.vermont.gov
- 855-899-9600
Nationwide:
- Insurers call for “reopening enrollment in Obamacare markets to accommodate uninsured people who need treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.” POLITICO, 3/20/20
Expanding Access to Care
Hospitals are working together to defeat and overcome COVID-19 by expanding their capacity to test for and treat COVID-19 by converting places like hotels into care facilities. Hospitals and health care providers are also changing how and where they treat non-COVID-19 patients to ensure everyone who is sick can safely access the care they need in a hospital. A few examples include:
- HCA Healthcare Discusses Innovative Efforts To Expand ICU Capacity. HCA, 3/31/20
- The Mayo Clinic Has Significantly Expanded Its Capacity To Test For COVID-19. Mayo Clinic, 3/19/20
Working Hand-In-Hand To Improve Quality Care
Manufacturers are directing their production facilities to create COVID-19 medical supplies like ventilators, masks, hand sanitizer, and protective gear, while biopharmaceutical companies are working together to quickly develop COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. These are just a few examples of how they’re making an impact:
- The Federal Government And Leading Pharmaceutical Companies Are Working Together To Combat COVID-19 With Innovative Vaccines And Treatments. Reuters, 3/2/20
- Pharmaceutical Companies Are Investing In Research And Development, And Donating Supplies As Part Of Push To Combat COVID-19. STAT News, 3/3/20
Working Together to Strengthen Employer-Provided Coverage
To increase access to care for Americans with employer-provided coverage, health insurance providers are proactively waiving copays, coinsurance and deductibles for COVID-19 testing. They are also fully covering the doctor visits and treatments needed to recover from this disease. In addition, health insurance providers are waiving cost-sharing for telehealth services and expanding telemedicine programs.
- For The More Than 180 Million Americans Who Rely On Employer-Provided Coverage, Many Insurers Are Waiving Costs And Providing Critical Resources To Meet This Challenge: AHIP, 3/27/20
Working to Protect America’s Most Vulnerable Patients
The free market is working together with government programs to help fill gaps to protect our most vulnerable. Health insurance providers are waiving Medicare and Medicaid copays and deductibles for COVID-19 testing and treatment and partnering with community food banks to deliver food boxes to seniors and low-income families. Learn more about efforts to ensure these patients can access the care they deserve:
- Health care providers are acting quickly to protect vulnerable populations amid the spread of COVID-19. AHIP, 3/23/20
Working Hand-In-Hand To Preserve Patient Control
As we work together to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the free market is working to fill gaps to protect our most vulnerable. Learn more about efforts to ensure these patients can access the care they deserve:
- Health care providers are acting quickly to protect vulnerable populations amid the spread of COVID-19. AHIP, 3/23/20