FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2021
CONTACT: Will Pregman, [email protected], 702.752.0656
CARSON CITY, NV – This morning, the Nevada Assembly Committee on Ways and Means heard Senate Bill 420 (SB 420), a bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro to establish the Nevada Public Option, a public health insurance option for the state of Nevada.
Annette Magnus, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement:
“We are thankful for Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton taking the time to hear this important bill in her committee this morning, as we approach Sine Die. Nevadans deserve to have a public health insurance option that is affordable and high quality. The majority of Nevadans who are uninsured are not eligible for Medicaid, and many more are underinsured for the care they need. During this pandemic, many Nevadans lost their jobs and, in addition, their health coverage. Throughout the crisis, the rate of uninsured continued to get worse. Many Nevada small businesses struggled just to keep their doors open, with the cost of insurance for their workers creating a burdensome expense. SB 420 provides an answer to these problems.”
“The Nevada Public Option outlined in SB 420 is a new high-quality, lower-cost healthcare option for Nevadans statewide to choose from. Recent polling from the Global Strategy Group shows that 66% of Nevadans support a public health insurance option, with 83% of Democrats, 73% of Independents, and 43% of Republicans in favor. This new healthcare option will ensure that Nevadans always have equal access to affordable, quality coverage — especially if they lose their job and insurance.
Thanks to whistleblowers like Wendell Potter, we know the reason hospitals and private insurance are lining up in opposition. They are in fear of competition cutting into their ridiculous, soaring profits if this passes. SB420 is another piece of the puzzle in solving the insurance and healthcare crisis that Battle Born Progress has been working on for years. We thank Senate Majority Leader Cannizzaro for her work on this critical legislation and we look forward to the Assembly moving it forward quickly before the close of session.”
About SB 420, the Nevada Public Option:
Since Nevadans can lose their jobs and health insurance at any time, a public health insurance plan is needed to ensure that Nevadans always have access to affordable healthcare. The proposal aims to:
- Lowers cost for everyone by forcing insurance companies to compete with the public option for business.
- Allows small business employees and contractors access to quality, affordable health insurance.
- Provides an affordable option for people who lose their jobs and don’t qualify for Medicaid.
- Enhances Medicaid maternity coverage to promote healthier pregnancies, mothers, and babies.
- Guarantees rural Nevadans have quality, affordable options on Nevada Health Link.
- Gets a better deal for Nevadnas by leveraging the state’s ability to negotiate for lower costs of care.
More information can be found at NevadaOption.org.
SPOKESPEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH
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About Battle Born Progress: Battle Born Progress, through strategic communication efforts, empowers, engages and mobilizes Nevada voters to build a state where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. We support, engage, and mobilize the progressive community through bold leadership, strategic communications, accountability, and education. We are on the cutting edge of new media and are the go-to source for progressive issues and advocacy for traditional media. Learn more at https://battlebornprogress.org/.
