ICYMI: More Than 100,000 Nevadans Enrolled Via Nevada Health Link

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Providing the latest evidence that our current health care system is working to expand access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care, Nevada Business reports that 101,409 Nevadans enrolled in health coverage via Nevada Health Link during the exchange’s two-and-a-half month open enrollment period (OEP), which ended January 15.

This represents 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 – also noting that 20,987 of the enrollees were not previously enrolled in coverage through the exchange and 27,717 were active re-enrollees upgrading or changing their coverage.

Additional highlights from this open enrollment period include:

• 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.”
• 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.

As Nevada’s government takes steps to implement a new state government-controlled health insurance system known as the “state government option” or the “Nevada Option,” the strong results from this open enrollment period, as well as the 33.5 percent growth in Medicaid recipients in Nevada since February 2020, are a reminder of how private plans and public programs are successfully working together to expand access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care. 

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.

• To read the full report in Nevada Business, CLICK HERE.