by Camalot Todd, Nevada Current
Open enrollment for individual health insurance plans begins on November 1 and ends on January 15, 2024. Nevadans can compare health insurance plans and costs through the state Department of Insurance (DOI) or the state-based health exchange site, NevadaHealthLink.com.
The window shopping period comes as more Nevadans navigate losing their Medicaid coverage during the ongoing redetermination process after the extended benefits through the COVID-19 public health emergency ended in December 2022.
Nearly one-third of all Nevadans receive health care through Medicaid or the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Insurance rates on the state-based health exchange have increased 2.8% on average, and off the exchange rates increased by 5.9%.
DOI has a website where Nevadans can compare health insurance policies and plans on the exchange.
Additionally, NevadaHealthLink.com, the only place Nevadans can access federal financial assistance that can reduce their monthly premium cost, has a “window shopping” feature that allows people to compare plans and see how much federal assistance they’re eligible to receive. Nearly 90% of people who use the exchange qualify for financial assistance and about half have a premium of $100 or less.
Eight carriers offer 163 different plans through the exchange including Health Plan of Nevada (HPN), Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna Health.
The health exchange, established under the federal Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago, and designed to provide options for people who don’t have employer-provided health insurance, and qualify for Medicare (ages 65+) or Medicaid (income-based).
For Nevadans who want to shop off of the exchange, they can visit the DOI’s site which sorts and finds plans based on age, county, and desired coverage level. Nevadans can choose between 57 individual plans from eight insurance companies.
Nevada Current is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nevada Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Hugh Jackson for questions: [email protected]. Follow Nevada Current on Facebook and Twitter.
