Nevada has received federal approval to implement public health insurance plans on its ACA exchange, becoming the third state to do so after Colorado and Washington.
The new public option health plans, branded as Battle Born State Plans, will be available on the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange for 2026 coverage. The federal approval is effective from 2026 to 2030.
The program is expected to generate federal savings of $322 million over five years, largely by reducing premium tax credits, with Nevada receiving pass-through funding to support the initiative. The waiver also includes a state-funded reinsurance program and targeted premium subsidies to further lower costs for enrollees.
The legislation to create the public option was initially passed in 2021, seeking to address Nevada's high uninsured population and make individual health plans more affordable by mandating premium reductions of at least 3% in the first year and 15% by the fourth year of implementation. The reductions will be benchmarked against 2024's second-lowest cost silver plan. The state will monitor enrollment rates, with additional subsidies planned if enrollment targets are not met.