State Employee Health Plans Confront COVID-19

This commentary discusses state employee health plans (SEHPs), which provide health coverage for millions of public employees, their dependents, and some retirees, and the rapid changes they are making to address the COVID-19 pandemic. This retooling of insurance plans must meet emerging federal requirements and ensure that coverage meets enrollees’ needs while managing costs and anticipating budget constraints.

During a recent teleconference convened by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), SEHP administrators shared strategies for implementing new federal mandates and highlighted ways they are making changes to other benefit offerings.