As Nevada Rushes To Create A New State Government Health Insurance System, Private Plans & Existing Public Programs Are Already Working Together To Expand Access

CARSON CITY, Nev. – As Nevada’s state government rushes through a flawed process to create an unaffordable, new state government-controlled health insurance system known as the “state government option” or the “Nevada Option,” the facts continue to show that private plans and public programs are already working together to provide Nevadans with access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care.

• STRONG ENROLLMENT:101,409 Nevadans enrolled in health coverage via Nevada Health Link during the exchange’s recent open enrollment period (OEP) – a 25 percent increase in enrollments over last year’s open enrollment period and the largest total enrollment figure since the exchange began operating in 2019, Nevada Business reports.
• SUBSTANTIAL COST SAVINGS: Eighty-eight percent of Nevadans who shopped for insurance through Nevada Health Link received some amount of financial assistance. In fact, about half of enrollees had net premiums of $100 or less, and some qualified for $0 plans “due to collecting unemployment at any point during 2021 or for other income-based reasons,” Nevada Business reports.
• MORE CHOICES: This open enrollment period provided Nevadans shopping on the exchange with more options than ever before, with 126 total qualified health plans and seven insurance carriers.

Meanwhile, key questions remain unanswered by state officials in their rush to implement poorly designed legislation to create an unaffordable, new state government-controlled health insurance system in Nevada – including what the system’s target population will be, whether and how Nevada taxpayers will be liable for the system’s cost overruns, and the fact that state officials have pushed through premature discussions about the design of the state system without the actuarial data required to do so in an informed manner.  

The strong enrollment, cost savings and availability of choices during this open enrollment period, as well as the 33.5 percent growth in Medicaid recipients in Nevada since February 2020, are a reminder that, rather than creating a new government-controlled health insurance system that could threaten Nevadans’ access to affordable coverage choices and quality care, policymakers should instead focus on strengthening what’s working in health care and supporting greater participation in existing health coverage resources that help Nevadans get healthy and stay healthy.