If you’ve ever tried to buy a car, the sales person likes to talk about all the “bells and whistles” that come with buying the car. All the extras. The fun, shiny things. The stuff that starts to add up when more bells and whistles are added.
Some people just need a car to get them from point A to point B. They don’t need the extras because they don’t add any value to what they need the car for.
In Nevada, buying health coverage is a lot like buying a car. Unfortunately, Nevadans are being forced to get the extra bells and whistles in their healthcare policies, making “affordable healthcare” not so affordable.
We believe lawmakers should reconsider these mandates and conduct a cost/benefit analysis to ensure they aren’t hurting consumers with unnecessarily inflated premiums.
Mandates Force Unnecessary Costs on Consumers
Nevada’s healthcare mandates require insurance plans to cover many services people may not need. Benefits like preventative screenings and multiple types of therapies. They also include mandates for treatments for certain medical conditions that only apply to certain groups of people. These mandates force consumers to pay for more coverage than they need. This results in higher costs, making health insurance less affordable.
Make a Cost/Benefit Analysis Required for Mandates
Nevada lawmakers should require a cost/benefit analysis (CBA) of all current and proposed coverage mandates. A CBA is a way of evaluating something by comparing the potential costs associated with it versus the expected benefits. This helps determine if the benefits outweigh the costs. And ensure that the mandates don’t place an undue financial burden on health insurance consumers.
A Careful Evaluation Will Make Healthcare More Affordable
A more careful evaluation of mandated benefits could lead to lower premiums. This could help determine whether the 49 state-mandated benefits forced on consumers are aligned with the broader policy goals of making healthcare affordable. A closer look will help show how requiring insurance plans to cover services that are unnecessary for many people is not in Nevadan’s best fiscal interests.
You Can Make a Difference
Want to make a difference in the lives of other Nevadans? Visit Nevada Policy’s Action Center and join other Nevadans voicing their concerns to elected officials. Your voice CAN make a difference. Voice your support for legislation that requires a thorough cost/benefit analysis of health insurance mandates. This will ensure that Nevadans are not forced to pay for coverage they don’t need.
