Now is not the time for red tape. It’s not the time for people to be worried if their health plan will pay for testing and treatment. So Gov. Kate Brown and legislators are discussing some good options for a special session.

Some things have already happened. The Lund Report — thelundreport.org — has a detailed overview. Health care insurers have been dropping charges for testing for the coronavirus. And on Friday, Brown asked for a waiver from Medicaid to allow the state to delay verifications of income until after the state of emergency is removed. Sure, some people may try to apply and not meet the income requirements. But the important priority now is to ensure people who need health care can get health care.

A new change that will require legislation would be aimed at helping people keep the coverage they have. It might require a grace period that doesn’t allow insurers to revoke coverage during the state of emergency — if someone did not pay their premiums. A related proposal would require insurers to not impose fees or penalties for payment plans to pay for health care.

Another idea is to get rid of out-of-network charges for care linked to COVID-19. Out-of-network charges can significantly increase the cost of care. As health care professionals provide care in the crisis, there may be an unusually high number of situations that are out-of-network. The other concept being discussed is allowing more flexibility for out-of-state, licensed medical professionals to work in Oregon without a state license.

We’re not aware of any draft legislation for these ideas. These are just ideas, and all of them have complications. For instance, we’re sure insurers may have thoughts about some of the proposals that will impact them. But they are all worth debating in a special session.