One-year projected costs of coronavirus to the commercial market could hit $251 billion

Healthcare Finance News April 1, 2020
Jeff Lagasse

Consumers will feel these increased costs through higher out-of-pocket expenses and premiums, especially if the federal response is lacking.

The projected costs for 170 million Americans in the commercial health insurance market – which includes the individual, small-group and large-group markets – for testing, treatment and care specifically related to the COVID-19 coronavirus will range from a low of $34 billion to $251 billion or more in the first year of the pandemic.

That’s according to Covered California, which on Monday released what it said was the first national projection of healthcare costs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The numbers suggest a substantial impact. The $251 billion worst-case scenario could be realized if there’s no federal action to slow the...

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