No Qualified Health Plans in 14 Nevada counties for 2018

Carson City and the counties of Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey and White Pine.

Nevada’s Exchange actively exploring potential solutions and resources for consumers facing limited to no coverage options.

The following is a press release from the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.

Original Release: June 28, 2017

Media Contacts:

Janel Davis – Silver State Health Insurance Exchange
(775)687-9934
j-davis@exchange.nv.gov

Cherryl Kaopua – Faiss Foley Warren
(702) 984-1000
cherryl@ffwpr.com

Marissa Schwartz – Faiss Foley Warren
(925) 595-8363
marissa@ffwpr.com

Carson City, Nevada.

The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange) was informed today by the Division of Insurance (DOI) that Nevada’s insurance carriers that participate in the state-based Exchange have decided to only offer coverage to Clark, Washoe, and Nye counties beginning in 2018. Simply put, individuals and families who currently purchase insurance on the Exchange and live in impacted counties will no longer have access to any Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) or their federal subsidies.

Nevada now faces a healthcare crisis in 14 rural counties where residents will have no access to subsidized QHPs through the Exchange based on Plan Year 2018 healthcare plan filings by insurance carriers. The Exchange, Nevada’s state agency that helps individuals obtain budget-appropriate health coverage through the online marketplace, Nevada Health Link, continues to collaborate with the office of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, the DOI and Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify solutions for more than 8,000 consumers in Carson City and the counties of Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey and White Pine.

“I consider this a healthcare crisis for rural Nevada, and it is extremely concerning to me that thousands of Nevadans may lose access to affordable healthcare,” said Heather Korbulic, executive director for the Exchange. “Regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the future of healthcare reform, the Exchange is focused on how to implement a successful Open Enrollment for Plan Year 2018. Given significant disruptions to the individual market in both the long and short term, my staff and I are doing everything within our control and influence to secure resources for consumers in these 14 counties.”

“My administration is working diligently to identify solutions to ensure there is, at the very least, a safety net available to rural Nevada residents who will be left without any options for coverage in the wake of these devastating and unfortunate decisions. The reduced footprint of carriers on the Exchange will leave more than 8,000 Nevadans with no coverage, and that is unacceptable,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “The expansion of Medicaid and subsidized Qualified Health Plans in Nevada has helped to dramatically reduce uninsured rates for these individuals. Lack of coverage in rural Nevada will set back years of work to reduce the uninsured rate throughout our state. My office has been engaged with the carriers, the Exchange and the DOI and I am hopeful that we will find a solution that will benefit consumers in our state’s bare counties.”

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We will keep you updated with this as information comes in.