The coronavirus pandemic created significant health insurance challenges for both individuals and insurers. In May 2020, the U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 13.3%, meaning 21 million people who wanted to work did not have a job (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). To put this staggering number into perspective, the unemployment rate was 10% at the height of the Great Recession in 2009 (Gangopadhyaya & Garrett, 2020). One obvious consequence of these extensive job losses is that many individuals will lose their employment-based health insurance. An estimated 5.4 million workers lost their health insurance between February and May 2020. Overall, 27 million people (including dependents) have lost employer coverage due to the pandemic

(Stolberg, 2020). Affected individuals may turn to Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage, marketplace plans, or Medicaid (for those who are eligible) for coverage. Of course, COBRA and marketplace plans can be expensive, and individuals are less likely to be eligible for Medicaid in the nonexpansion states. Even in Medicaid expansion states, 20% of unemployed workers were uninsured in 2018 (Gangopadhyaya & Garrett, 2020).