Nevadans to see premium hikes in 2016

Small-business employees’ rates to increase 5 percent

The Nevada Division of Insurance said Wednesday that it has approved 2016 health insurance rates for individual and smallgroup coverage.

For small businesses and their employees, premiums will rise an average of 5 percent, the division said.

Consumers who buy a plan through the state's Nevada Health Link insurance exchange will see an average premium gain of 8.7 percent. Individual buyers off of the exchange will pay 9.6 percent more on average.

Four insurers— UnitedHealth Group, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Prominence and Humana — will offer plans on the state exchange, which is the marketplace through which lower-income consumers can qualify for a federal premium tax credit.

For consumers who don't qualify for a credit, the offexchange market has 18 carriers.

Acting Nevada Insurance Commissioner Amy Parks said market competition has helped keep rate changes in the individual market below 10 percent for the last two years.

To see rate filings, visit doi. nv.gov/Rate-Filings/.

The insurance division will release approved premiums by plan on Oct. 2 so that Nevadans can shop for coverage during open enrollment beginning Nov. 1. —Contact Jennifer Robison at jrobison@reviewjournal.com. Find @_JRobison on Twitter.