by April Corbin Girnus, Nevada Current
Open enrollment has begun for Nevada Health Link, the state-operated health insurance marketplace set up through the Affordable Care Act. The upcoming coverage year marks the first year where access is available to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipients.
Nevada Health Link’s open enrollment period, which began Friday, runs through 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15.
After that deadline, Nevadans will only be able to sign up for insurance through the marketplace if they experience a qualifying life event, such as losing their employer-based insurance or Medicaid, getting married or divorced, or having a baby.
“My message to any Nevadan who is uninsured and on the fence about getting enrolled is: Put your health first,” Nevada Health Link Navigator Program Manager Rosa Alejandra said Friday at a press conference at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in downtown Las Vegas. “Don’t risk your health or pockets by going uninsured.”
An estimated 11% of Nevadans are uninsured — one of the highest uninsured rates in the nation.
Without insurance, a broken leg can cost up to $30,000 or $40,000, Alejandra added, “with insurance, it would be a fraction of that cost.”
For 2025, 141 qualified health plans will be offered across eight private insurance carriers. Dental and vision plans are also available. Prices vary by coverage, location, and eligibility for federal subsidies, which offset the cost of monthly premiums. Nevada Health Link is the only place where Nevadans can access those subsidies.
Subsidies are available for those making over 400% of the poverty level in Nevada. That correlates with an individual making under $54,000 a year, or a family of four making $110,000 per year.
Nine out of 10 Nevadans who enroll in plans through Nevada Health Link receive some amount of subsidy, according to Alejandra, with “almost half” of enrollees paying $100 or less per month.
Plans available through the marketplace must meet certain criteria set at the federal level. That includes “10 essential health benefits” like emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, and preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management.
The marketplace is seen as ideal for people who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare and do not have employer-sponsored health insurance. This includes gig workers and independent contractors.
Free assistance is available in English, Spanish and additional languages for those who request it. The marketplace website includes an online tool people can use to determine their eligibility.
Nevada Health Link on Friday launched a new advertising campaign and jingle — “our plans are made for your plans” — they are hoping will help spread the word about open enrollment.
Nevadans with current insurance purchased through Nevada Health Link will need to review and update their coverage.
More than 99,000 Nevadans enrolled through Health Link last year. Among those, around 25,500 were new enrollees.
DACA eligibility
Prior to this year, Affordable Care Act plans and subsidies were already accessible to “lawfully present” immigrants. The Biden administration in May announced a rule change clarifying that DACA recipients fall under the definition of “lawfully present.”
The rule change allows DACA recipients to enroll in ACA marketplace plans and, if their income qualifies them, receive federal subsidies.
An estimated 580,000 immigrants nationwide are covered by DACA. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has estimated that the rule change may bring coverage to approximately 100,000 of them who are currently uninsured.
Nevada has an estimated 11,400 DACA recipients.
Brenda Romero, the undocumented students program coordinator at the College of Southern Nevada, described the expanded access as “a game changer” for many DACA recipients.
“These students are navigating both their education and the unique challenges of being DACA recipients, often without many of the privileges and resources that we don’t often think about on a daily basis,” she added. “Health care access is one of the most critical gaps.”
Romero relayed comments from CSN student Sophia Navarro, who was required to have health insurance while completing the clinical hours required by the surgical technology program: “In the past, this was a challenging hurdle, as I did not have employer-based insurance as a full-time student, leaving costly insurance plans as my only option.”
Romero continued, “Students like Sophia now have the option to be able to address medical concerns without the fear of crippling debt or being unable to afford care.”
The rule is being challenged in federal court by 19 Republican state attorney generals. (Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford joined other Democratic attorneys general in a brief supporting the rule change.)
Alejandra with Nevada Health Link acknowledged the lawsuit and said the state would have to comply with any legal decisions made in the case. But that may not happen and DACA recipients are currently being encouraged to secure health insurance through Nevada Health Link.
Dates to remember
Open enrollment runs Nov. 1, 2024 to Jan. 15, 2025.
Coverage for people who enroll by Dec. 31 will begin Jan. 1.
Coverage for people who enroll between Jan. 1 and Jan. 15, will begin Feb. 1.
For more information, visit NevadaHealthLink.com
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