What Life and Health Players Still Want Out of Congress

"This would provide some financial relief to many Americans who are seeking professional financial advice due to the market turmoil," FSI says.

2. Access to Health Coverage

Margaret Murray, the CEO of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), says HealthCare.gov should start a special enrollment period, to give uninsured people a new, no-hassle chance to get covered.

Most states with state-based exchanges have already added COVID-19-related special enrollment periods.

Murray says Congress could also expand the number of people with coverage by adding a "risk corridors" program, to buffer health insurers against spikes in claims, and by increasing federal Medicaid matching funds for states that didn't expand their Medicaid programs.

 3. Paid Leave

The bill signed into law before the CARES Act, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, provides for up to 80 hours of paid leave for many workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamie Kalamarides, president of the group insurance unit at Prudential Financial Inc., says in a statement that the current economic downturn is affecting many workers who live paycheck to paycheck. "Paid family leave is a critical benefit for millions today through private insurance," Kalamarides says. "Expanding access to private insurance paid leave is even more important in times of crisis."

The Consumer Federal of America (CFA) says Congress ought to provide a comprehensive, national paid sick leave policy. All employees, and all independent contractors, should have access to paid sick leave, the CFA says.

For some employers, a sick leave mandate could be a burden.

For insurers with absence management, short-term disability insurance and family leave benefits programs, expanded leave requirements could be a business opportunity.

4. Provider Prices

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires self-insured employers to cover COVID-19 diagnostic services without imposing co-payments, deductibles or other cost-sharing on the patients.

The Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) says Congress should prevent provider profiteering, by imposing reasonable limits on COVID-19 testing, vaccine and preventive care services prices, and by outlawing unreasonable increases in prices on all COVID-19-related products and services.

"While there are undoubtedly large increases in utilization due to COVID-19, we cannot let that cost burden be compounded by bad actors who might use the current crisis to raise prices unreasonably," PBGH says.

— Read Senate's COVID-19 Bill Includes Executive Comp Cap Provision, on ThinkAdvisor.

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