Death Spiral: Anthem Stops Offering Obamacare in Most Nevada Counties

Anthem announced they will stop selling insurance in all but three Nevada counties on the state’s Obamacare exchanges.

Anthem has drawn significant headlines recently as it announced that it would withdraw from the Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio Obamacare marketplaces.

Republican Governor Brian Sandoval called the situation a crisis on Wednesday night. Anthem will only offer health insurance plans in Nevada’s three most populous counties, leaving 8,000 Nevadans in 13 counties without access to Obamacare insurance plans.

Nevada will offer Obamacare exchange insurance plans in Clark, Nye, and Washoe counties.

Anthem said in a statement, “Planning and pricing for ACA-compliant health plans has become increasingly difficult due to a shrinking and deteriorating individual market, as well as continual changes and uncertainty in federal operations, rules and guidance, including cost sharing reduction subsidies and the restoration of taxes on fully insured coverage.”

Heather Korbulic, executive director for the Nevada Obamacare exchange, said, “I consider this a health-care crisis for rural Nevada. My staff and I are doing everything within our control and influence to secure resources for consumers.”

Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) came out against the Senate’s healthcare bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), arguing that the bill does not do enough to protect Nevadans who gained health insurance under Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion.

Sen. Heller said, “Throughout the health care debate, I have made clear that I want to make sure the rug is not pulled out from under Nevada or the more than 200,000 Nevadans who received insurance for the first time under Medicaid expansion. At first glance, I have serious concerns about the bill’s impact on the Nevadans who depend on Medicaid. I will read it, share it with Governor Sandoval, and continue to listen to Nevadans to determine the bill’s impact on our state. I will also post it to my website so that any Nevadans who wish to review it can do so. As I have consistently stated, if the bill is good for Nevada, I’ll vote for it and if it’s not – I won’t.”