LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — About one in 10 Clark County residents has no health insurance, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Some are just taking the risk that they’ll be OK without it. Others think they can’t afford it.
But in fact, there’s a good chance those residents — as many as 70,000 people in Clark County — can afford it through Nevada Health Link. Wednesday, Jan. 15, is the last day of open enrollment, when those families can apply for coverage that works best for them. Meeting that deadline allows families more time to select from a variety of affordable plans.
Nevada Health Link Executive Director Russell Cook spoke with 8 News Now about the importance of finding out if you qualify for subsidies available for health care coverage.
Cook said enrollment is breaking records this year, surpassing its successes in 2022, when it first topped 100,000. Enrollment this year is already above 105,000. But he knows there are a lot more people to reach. Nevada Health Link’s goal is to help Nevadans make informed decisions.
In some Las Vegas neighborhoods, thousands of people are eligible for subsidized coverage that they simply don’t know about. Here are three neighborhoods that show big gaps in coverage (based on 2022 American Community Survey data):
- TWIN LAKES (89108 ZIP code): With a population near 75,000, this neighborhood along the west side of Rancho Drive had 8,040 uninsured residents eligible for subsidized health policies. Nevada Health Link has helped 1,760 residents (as of Jan. 3) get coverage, and 1,629 qualified for subsidies.
- EAST LAS VEGAS (89110 ZIP code): One segment of East Las Vegas bounded by Owens Avenue on the north, Pecos Road on the west, Charleston Boulevard on the south, and Frenchman Mountain on the east, has a population of about 67,000, with 6,844 residents who have no health coverage at all but are eligible for subsidized policies. Nevada Health Link has helped 1,431 residents (as of Jan. 3) get coverage, and 1,339 qualified for subsidies.
- NORTH LAS VEGAS (89030 ZIP code): The older part of North Las Vegas along Interstate 15 from about Owens Avenue to Craig Road has a population over 51,000, and 7,552 residents are without health coverage but would qualify for a subsidized policy. Nevada Health Link has been able to help only 600 residents in the neighborhood, and 568 qualified for subsidies.
And that’s just a sample. In neighborhoods across the valley, people who have explored what’s available on Nevada Health Link have found that they qualify for subsidized coverage.
Residents in neighborhoods where incomes are low might think they just can’t afford health insurance, but it’s a big gamble to take. Any injury or illness that leads to hospitalization could break the bank for these households, and they could possibly get coverage with low premiums — some with zero-dollar premiums.
“We want to make sure that families are aware of exactly how much money they can save,” Cook said. He wants people to understand that a zero-dollar premium is not the same thing as free health insurance. “That just means that you have this safety net,” he said.
If there are medical emergencies, families are still responsible for deductibles and their portion of the cost. But there will be a cap — a maximum limit on deductibles and a maximum on out-of-pocket expenses.
Cook said even something as simple as a broken arm can come with costs that add up to $30,000 or more. The Affordable Care Act sets an out-of-pocket limit of $18,000 for a family of four.
He went through a scenario for a family of four with total income of $80,000. After income-based subsidies, the family’s monthly premium was about $69.
The cheapest policies aren’t for everyone. People with recurring medical needs should explore other options, and they are available, too.
Cook also advised against sitting it out until the political landscape settles. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to gut the Affordable Care Act when he first took office in 2016, but it didn’t happen. In fact, the number of people who have coverage through ACA has doubled since then.
“Health insurance is a very complex landscape to navigate. But that’s why we like to take every opportunity possible to recommend that Nevadans seek out assistance from a licensed and certified enrollment professional,” Cook said.
“We have a community of over 900 insurance agents and brokers who are certified to offer enrollment assistance free of charge through the NevadaHealthLink.com marketplace. We also have a community of over 40 navigators statewide.” Those navigators provide free enrollment assistance in languages including English, Spanish and Tagalog.
To apply on Nevada Health Link go to nevadahealthlink.com.
