Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nevada's Insurance 'Bare Market' Now Appears Covered
The New York Times: Obamacare’s Bare County Problem Looks Mostly Solved, For Now
A few months ago, it looked as if large swaths of the country might end up without any insurers willing to sell Obamacare insurance in 2018. But in the last few weeks the “bare county” problem, which President Trump had cited as a sign the markets were failing, has nearly solved itself. On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada announced that Centene would offer insurance in 14 rural counties of Nevada that had been bare. That leaves only two counties in the country without insurers saying they will sell coverage; fewer than 400 Obamacare customers live in those counties. (Sanger-Katz, 8/15)
The Wall Street Journal: Nevada And Centene Reach Agreement On Insurance Markets
Roughly 8,000 consumers in Nevada were at risk of losing access to health plans on the exchange after Anthem Inc. and Prominence Health Plan said in June they would exit markets in 14 counties. Insurers can hold off on final decisions to participate in exchanges until late September, but many have exited markets, citing volatility and prolonged uncertainty about the White House’s support for the markets. (Evans, 8/15)
Bloomberg: Insurer Steps In To Cover ‘Bare’ Obamacare Markets In Nevada
Obamacare’s supporters scored a victory as health insurer Centene Corp. decided to dramatically expand in Nevada, filling in rural counties that were at risk of having no options next year. Centene said Tuesday that it will sell statewide via its SilverSummit unit, a move that will help more of Nevada’s residents gain Affordable Care Act coverage. Nationally, the decision will reduce the number of empty counties to two: one in Ohio and one in Wisconsin. (Tracer, 8/15)
The Associated Press: New Deal Provides Health Care Coverage For Rural Nevada
Gov. Brian Sandoval announced an agreement with a Missouri-based company Tuesday to make sure health insurance is available to 8,000 rural Nevadans who faced the loss of their coverage after Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield pulled out of the state’s health care exchange. (8/16)
The Hill: Insurer Will Cover 'Bare' Nevada Counties
SilverSummit Healthplan has agreed to fill Nevada's 14 "bare" counties that were slated to have no insurers on the ObamaCare exchanges next year. SilverSummit, a subsidiary of Centene, announced the decision at a press conference with Gov. Brian Sandoval (R). Those 14 rural counties became in danger of having no insurers in 2018 after Anthem announced it wouldn't sell ObamaCare plans next year in Nevada. (Hellmann, 8/15)
