Nebraska health insurance may see influx of state lawmakers
Nebraska lawmakers may soon find themselves purchasing health insurance policies in the same market as their constituents thanks to Legislative Bill 18. Senator Jeremy Nordquist introduced the bill this week in the hopes of changing the way policymakers purchase their health insurance coverage, creating more solidarity with the state’s residents. Currently, Nebraska lawmakers obtain their health insurance coverage from government sources. If the bill passes, the Nebraska health insurance market will change significantly in the near future.
If the market is good enough for consumers, it is good enough for lawmakers
According to Nordquist, the state has made significant strides in making the private health insurance market very friendly for consumers. Nordquist suggests that if the Nebraska health insurance market is so beneficial for consumers, state lawmakers should be able to find the policies that they need in the market without any significant problem. The bill is more than a move to get lawmakers into the private market, of course, it is designed to be a wakeup call.
Legislation could provide much needed insight
Nordquist suggests that his legislation would help lawmakers understand the problems that exist in purchasing health insurance coverage on an individual level. First-hand experience may help these lawmakers develop new policies that help address some of these issues, making it possible for a wider range of people to find the coverage they need more easily. Such insight may be needed now more than ever before, because Nebraska decided in November 2012 that it would opt out of building and operating its own health insurance exchange.
Federal health insurance exchange may not be enough for Nebraska residents
The federal government will be building a health insurance exchange for the state, but this does not mean that the program will function according to the specific needs of consumers. Because of the federal government’s overarching nature, the policies designed to govern the exchange are likely to be very general and not address any specific challenges that exist in the Nebraska health insurance market.
