New State Insurance Requirements in Response to COVID-19
COVID-19 has upended health care systems and states are revising health insurance rules to make sure consumers can maintain their health insurance coverage and access needed health care services during the pandemic. The chart below details recent state actions that:
- Limit consumer out-of-pocket costs for testing, treatment and out-of-network care;
- Facilitate access to and delivery of care, including rapid transfers to appropriate care settings without lengthy reviews and telehealth expansion;
- Enable consumers to maintain coverage despite economic hardship and COVID-19 diagnosis by relaxing premium payment requirements and waiving penalties; and
- Ease prescription refills and allow drug substitutes (formulary exemptions).
For more information, read the NASHP blog, States Protect Consumers’ Coverage and Improve COVID-19 Care Delivery through Insurance Reforms.
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
