For Immediate
Release: Contact:
August
15, 2017 Mari St. Martin
– mstmartin@gov.nv.gov, 702-250-8210
Janel
Davis: j-davis@exchange.nv.gov, 775-434-9008
Yeraldin
Deavila: ydeavila@doi.nv.gov, 775 220-7698
Centene
Corporation Offers On-Exchange Plans for 14 Bare Counties in Nevada
CARSON
CITY, NV –
Governor Brian Sandoval today announced that the Missouri-based Centene
Corporation, also known as SilverSummit in Nevada, will be offering health
insurance coverage to all Nevada residents including those living in Carson
City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln,
Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey and White Pine on the Silver State Health
Insurance Exchange (Exchange). The Exchange is Nevada’s state agency that helps
individuals obtain budget-appropriate health coverage through the online
marketplace, Nevada Health Link. Earlier
this month, the Division of Insurance announced that 14 of Nevada’s 17 counties
would be without an Exchange health insurance option, which would have left 8,000
consumers in these counties without access to Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) and
federal subsidies beginning in January 2018.
“Access
to quality, affordable healthcare should not be dependent on your zip code or
county line. Today’s announcement will ensure that more than 8,000 Nevadans
will have the ability to exercise their option to utilize Nevada’s online
marketplace and secure coverage for their families,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “This is a fantastic time to welcome
SilverSummit to our healthcare market and express the state’s sincere gratitude
for stepping up, partnering with Nevada’s own Hometown Health, and providing an
insurance option for thousands of Nevadans.” "We
are grateful that SilverSummit has stepped up to the plate, offering relief to
thousands of residents who thought they would be deprived of access to health
insurance," said Heather Korbulic,
executive director for the Exchange. "Thanks to Governor Sandoval’s
tireless and unwavering commitment to ensuring access to healthcare for all
Nevadans, individuals throughout the state will have access to qualified health
plans.”
"We
appreciate that such an experienced insurance carrier will be joining the
Nevada Exchange," said Barbara D.
Richardson, Nevada insurance commissioner. "The Division continues to
work with our state partners to explore long-term solutions for Nevada
citizens."
This
is not the first time Centene has provided coverage in states where insurance
carriers have left the marketplace due to uncertainty surrounding the
administration's objective to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. In
Missouri, Centene offers plans in 25 counties that were slated to have no
insurers on its exchange in 2018. Centene's updated rates for Nevada have yet
to be announced.
The
bare counties crisis was created when existing insurance carriers, Prominence
and Anthem, both of which provided plans on the Exchange to rural counties,
provided notice that they would pull out of the Exchange market entirely
beginning in 2018. Since that announcement, state officials have worked to
secure a carrier to provide an insurance option to the more than 8,000 rural
Nevadans who depend on the Exchange for their insurance coverage. There are
currently two insurance carriers planning to offer insurance options on the
Exchange, Health Plan of Nevada and SilverSummit. SilverSummit is the only
carrier at this time who will provide an insurance option in all of Nevada’s 17
counties. Health Plan of Nevada will provide an insurance option in Nye, Clark,
and Washoe Counties.
The
Exchange was established per Nevada Revised Statues (NRS) in 2011 by the State
of Nevada, and operations began in 2013, on the belief that all Nevadans
deserve access to health insurance. Nevada Health Link, the state-based online
marketplace, supported by healthcare.gov, allows Nevadans to shop for health
insurance and provides federal tax credits and subsidies to help cover the cost
of insurance for those who qualify.
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