Nevada Healthcare Public Option
The Nevada Public Option works by leveraging the State’s purchasing power with health carriers to negotiate a better deal for Nevadans. This purchasing power comes from the State’s Medicaid managed care contracts with health carriers, which are worth more than $2 billion. The new state law requires health carriers that want to continue to participate as a Medicaid managed care organization in Nevada to also submit a good faith bid to offer a new, low-cost Public Option plan through the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.
The Public Option will become available to the public in January 2026 and guarantees lower premiums, ensures equitable access to coverage, prevents provider rate cuts, and increases market competition. Over the first five years, The Nevada Public Option is anticipated to generate $341 to $464 million in health care savings for taxpayers, most of which can be reinvested in Nevada’s health care system.
The Campaign
Starting more than 18 months before our target legislative session, we laid the groundwork for the eventual passage of the Public Option by building power and educating legislators. We recruited respected experts on health policy and worked collaboratively with legislative leadership to write a policy that worked for Nevada. Then we supported our bill sponsor in the run-up, during, and post session with a full-fledged campaign that engaged the media, impacted Nevadans, influencers, and national power players.
