State lawmakers approve Health Exchange regulations

A legislative subcommittee on Friday gave final approval to the regulations governing operation of the Silver State Health Exchange.

The panel was told the regulations are nearly identical to the emergency regulations approved three months ago that have controlled the process of selecting, training and hiring facilitators and navigators to help people get health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Adam Plain of the Insurance Division told the panel Nevada’s regulations are more stringent than the federal rules to ensure citizens aren’t victimized by shady operators when they try to sign up for coverage. That includes thorough background checks and mandatory education for all facilitators and navigators, even those who are veteran insurance brokers.

The regulations also require those offering insurance through the exchange to tell potential buyers about all the policies that they are eligible for and not try to steer them to one of their policies or one that brings them a bigger commission, he said.

“These are really consumer-protection things we’re putting in place,” said Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas.

The permanent regulations were approved unanimously by the legislative panel.