Nevada News Bureau
The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange is moving forward to ensure that Nevada will have a state based exchange operational by Oct. 1, 2013, following the Supreme Court ruling Thursday upholding most of the federal health care law.
To date the Exchange has been awarded approximately $24.7 million in federal grants to pay for its establishment and implementation.
“Nevada was prudent to begin implementation over a year and a half ago rather than wait and risk federal intervention,” said Jon Hager, executive director of the Exchange. “Thanks to advanced planning and foresight, Nevada is positioned to implement a state based health insurance exchange that is built with the needs of Nevadans in mind.”
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates approximately 21.3 percent of Nevadans, or 563,000 people, are uninsured. The Exchange’s mission is to increase the number of insured Nevadans by facilitating the purchase and sale of health insurance that provides quality health care through the creation of a transparent, simplified marketplace of qualified health plans.
Beginning Oct. 1, 2013, the Exchange will be offering a state-of-the-art web portal, call center and other assistance to help consumers in the selection and enrollment of insurance plans. Individuals below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, approximately $92,200 for a family of four, will be able to receive federal subsidies to help pay for a portion of their premiums.
Nevada’s exchange was created by Senate Bill 440 of the 2011 Legislature.
Gov. Brian Sandoval opted to move forward with implementation of the exchange despite Nevada’s legal challenge of the Affordable Care Act.
