Monday, Jan. 31, 2022 | 2 a.m.
A record-setting 101,409 Nevadans enrolled in health insurance plans this year through the state’s Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace, reflecting a national trend.
The number of people getting coverage during the just-wrapped, 2 1/2-month open enrollment period with the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange increased by nearly 25% over last year’s 81,903 enrollees. The state said this year saw the most since the exchange began operating as a state-based marketplace in 2019.
Nearly 21,000 of this year’s enrollees were new to the exchange, the state added.
Open enrollment ran from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15.
Consumers had more access to financial assistance thanks to the American Rescue Plan, which provided increased and expanded federal subsidies to lower monthly costs for the first time in ACA program history. Some 88% of Nevadans who shopped for insurance through the exchange’s website, Nevada Health Link, received some amount of financial assistance. Almost half of all enrollees got a premium of $100 or less.
“The exchange has worked diligently to offer more plans, more options, more assistance and most importantly, ensure Nevadans are aware of their potential cost savings available by getting covered,” Janel Davis, an exchange spokeswoman, said in a statement. “We are proud to give Nevadans reassurance that health care can be affordable.”
Nevadans also had 126 qualified health plans over seven insurance carriers to select from this year, up from 50 plans over five carriers last year.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a report Thursday that about 14.5 million Americans have signed up for health coverage this year through federal and state-run ACA marketplaces, breaking the previous record enrollment by nearly 2 million.
Some state-run marketplaces are still accepting enrollments, so the final number will likely climb.
Open enrollment is over in Nevada but people may still be eligible to sign up for plans on the exchange under a qualifying life event, such as losing health insurance, change of employment or income, getting married, having a child or moving.
To find out if you’re eligible and to learn more, visit nevadahealthlink.com or call 1-800-547-2927.
