- Centene to offer health coverage to all Nevada counties (kolotv.com)Rural Nevada residents will get health care coverage (kolotv.com)
Governor Brian Sandoval says health insurance company Centene will expand coverage on Nevada's health exchange for 2018, meaning all the state's rural counties will continue to have health coverage...An a news conference in Silver Springs, Sandoval announced the Missouri-based Centene Corporation, also known as Silver Summit in Nevada, will offer health insurance coverage to all Nevada residents including those living in Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey and White Pine on the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange...Today’s announcement will ensure that more than 8,000 Nevadans will have the ability to exercise their option to utilize Nevada’s online marketplace and secure coverage for their families,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “This is a fantastic time to welcome SilverSummit to our healthcare market and express the state’s sincere gratitude for stepping up, partnering with Nevada’s own Hometown Health, and providing an insurance option for thousands of Nevadans.”...
- Nevada forces drugmakers to reveal insulin pricing, profits (ktvn.com)Nevada just passed one of the strictest drug pricing transparency laws in the country (businessinsider.com)
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law...the nation's strictest requirements for pharmaceutical companies to reveal how they set certain prescription drug prices...The bipartisan legislation focuses on insulin - one of many life-sustaining prescription treatments sold in the U.S. at prices that have skyrocketed over the last decade...The law requires drugmakers to annually disclose the list prices they set, profits they make and discounts they give market middlemen on insulin...They must also give state officials written explanations of any insulin price hikes that surpass the previous year's inflation rate...The bulk of the legislation takes effect in October, but the first disclosures will be due on April 1, 2018...insulin manufacturers will face fines of $5,000 daily if they fail to provide the data without explaining why...pharmacy benefit managers, suggested that the law's "costly fiduciary mandate" resembles legislation that federal courts have previously rejected based on violations of federal benefits laws...In addition to the insulin-specific requirements, Nevada's law will outlaw "gag rules" that bar pharmacists from suggesting alternate or less-expensive prescription options...All drugmakers will also have to register sales representatives who market prescription drugs in Nevada...
- Sandoval vetoes bill requiring advance notice of price hikes for diabetes-related drugs (reviewjournal.com)
Gov. Brian Sandoval...vetoed a bill that would have required drug manufacturers to notify the state in advance of planned price increases for diabetes-related drugs, among other provisions...Sandoval said that while Senate Bill 265 had well-intentioned provisions related to access to affordable health care, the measure also contained potentially detrimental consequences for Nevadans, “not the least of which is the possibility that access to critical care will become more expensive, more restricted, and less equitable.”...“SB 265 fails to account for market dynamics that are inextricably linked to health care delivery and access to prescription drugs,” Sandoval said. “This failure cannot be overlooked, and it could cause more harm than good for Nevada’s families.”...Sandoval also said there was insufficient evidence to support the notion that the measure would lead to lower drug costs…
- Nevada Awarded More Than $5.6 Million to Continue the Fight Against Opioid Abuse (ktvn.com)
Governor Brian Sandoval's Office announced...that the state will receive a grant of more than $5.6 million to help combat opioid addiction...Nevada has received notice from United States Health and Human Services Secretary...Nevada will receive a $5,663,328 grant to combat opioid addiction. The funding, which is the first of two rounds provided for the 21st Century Cures Act, will be provided through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration…“I would like to thank the Trump Administration, specifically Secretary Price and the members of our federal delegation who supported the 21st Century Cures Act. This funding will provide significant resources aimed at combating the opioid crisis, a sweeping epidemic which is hurting families across Nevada and our nation,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “Nevada is committed to working collaboratively with medical professionals, stakeholders, and community advocates as we continue to tackle the significant health, social and economic consequences of prescription drug abuse.”
- Residents in 14 Nevada Counties Will Not Have Access to Qualified Health Plans (ktvn.com)Anthem Withdrawing From Nevada's Health Exchange for 2018 (ktvn.com)
The Division of Insurance has announced that Nevada’s insurance carriers that participate in the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange have decided to only offer coverage to Clark, Washoe, and Nye counties beginning in 2018...Currently these medical carriers offer plans on Nevada Health Link: Health Plan of Nevada, Prominence Health Plan, Anthem...But some changes are coming as of January 1, 2018.
- Health Plan of Nevada will only be offering coverage in Washoe, Clark, and Nye Counties.
- Prominence Health Plan announced this week that they will be pulling out of the Nevada Exchange market.
- Two new companies, Aetna and Centene will be joining the exchange market but according to the Division of Insurance at most they will only be offering plans in Washoe, Clark, and Nye counties
The Division of Insurance says this will leave about 8,000 Nevada residents without coverage across 14 counties. The largest group is about 5,000 people across Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey Counties...If you live outside of Washoe, Clark, or Nye counties and have concerns about your coverage, Silver State Health Exchanges suggests you call them at 855-768-5465...They say that they are working diligently with Governor Sandoval to come up with a plan for those that could be uninsured.
- Nevada looking to end wait for Medicaid for some immigrant children (kolotv.com)
Nevada is attempting to join 31 other states in expediting health care for immigrant children from low-income families...Implementing speedier coverage will hinge on whether President Donald Trump's administration grants the state permission...If so, an estimated 5,000 minors with green cards, refugee youth and certain other young immigrants will become eligible for Medicaid sooner than previously expected...Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Senate Bill 325...It ends the current five-year wait period for children with residency paperwork to get on government-subsidized health insurance.
- Emotions run high as Nevada Senate passes assisted suicide bill (reviewjournal.com)
The Nevada Senate, after emotional floor debate, approved a bill...allowing terminally ill patients to request life-ending medication from their physicians...Senate Bill 261 passed on an 11-10 vote and now goes to the Assembly...Supporters said it would provide the sick and dying the right to end their suffering at a time of their own choosing...Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, was a sponsor of the bill but voted against it. Kieckhefer said he became "increasingly uncomfortable" with the bill and what he called a "significant lack of clarity."..."I don’t necessarily trust doctors to tell me when I’m going to die,"...He also shared concerns raised by critics that the sick, frail and disabled could be pressured to end their lives by family members or caregivers...Under the measure, mentally competent patients over the age of 18 could request a prescription for life-ending drugs. Two doctors would have to confirm the terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months of less. Doctors, pharmacists and health care facilities would not have to participate...
- First Human West Nile Case Confirmed in Washoe County (ktvn.com)
The Washoe County Health District says a North Valleys resident has tested positive for West Nile Virus. It is the first human case this year in Washoe County...Although this resident had traveled outside of Washoe County and may have been exposed elsewhere, the presence of positive mosquito pools locally means that a local exposure cannot be ruled out and residents should take appropriate precautions. The announcement coincides with the identification of three positive mosquito collections in Gerlach, although the incidents are not related..."We have been expecting this to be a very active season for both mosquitoes and West Nile Virus in Washoe County due to the heavy precipitation we got this year and because of the extremely warm weather in the area," said Washoe County District Health Officer Kevin Dick. "Although we are monitoring mosquito activity, conducting monthly larvicide treatments, and fogging areas of known activity, this is a reminder that people must be vigilant and take personal measures to keep mosquitoes at bay" said Dick.
- UNLV School of Medicine will become reality (kolotv.com)
In the works for years, a new medical school is finally going to become a reality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas…The Nevada Legislature gave final approval Monday night to a bill that includes $25 million in state money to build the UNLV School of Medicine…It's been a priority for Gov. Brian Sandoval, who announced earlier Monday he'd received $25 million in matching funds from an anonymous private donor to launch construction…The deal was contingent on the matching funds. Sandoval believes it's the single largest philanthropic contribution in state history…The Senate passed Senate Bill 553 unanimously. Nine Republicans opposed it in the Assembly, where it passed 33-9…Lawmakers also gave final approval to a capital improvements package that includes $43 million for a new engineering building at the University of Nevada, Reno. Sandoval says he'll sign both bills.
- Nevada Senate Passes Insulin-Price Bill Tough on Drugmakers (lasvegas.cbslocal.com)
A bid in Nevada to force America’s three insulin manufacturers to turn over information on the...prices of...hormone treatment for people with diabetes advanced with bipartisan support...The Democratic (Democrat) proposal has transitioned from a first-of-its-kind price control to a measure focused on pricing transparency...it retains what would be some of the toughest regulations on pharmaceutical companies in the nation...It would require drugmakers to annually publish the list prices they set and profits they make on insulin, as well as the total amount of insulin discounts they give market middlemen — specific data points currently largely kept confidential...Some pharmaceutical companies, including insulin-maker Sanofi SA, have voluntarily released recent data on their price increases...Market experts say transparency alone won’t lower patient costs...