Premium costs of health plan to be lower in Las Vegas than elsewhere

By Karoun Demirjian

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013 | 2 a.m.

Buying insurance on the Obamacare health exchanges may prove to be cheaper in Las Vegas, on average, than elsewhere in the country, according to new nationwide data released Tuesday.

Nevada ranks below the national average in a comparison of average monthly health care premiums across 47 states and the District of Columbia (Hawaii, Kentucky and Massachusetts were not included in the data set) in the three categories that were considered: Lowest-cost Silver and Bronze plans, and the second-lowest cost Silver plan.

The metallic rating system — which also includes the categories of Gold and Platinum, though those were not considered in the administration’s report — is a way of ranking the quality of health care plans: Higher-valued metals designate more comprehensive insurance plans, but they are more expensive; less valuable metal packages are cheaper, but provide less coverage.

Nationally, the average cost of a health care premium for a person under 65 is expected to be $310 per lowest-cost Silver plan, and $328 per second-lowest-cost Silver plan. Lowest-cost Bronze plans are expected to cost $249 per month.

In Las Vegas, the average cost of a health care premium for a person under 65 is expected to be $295 per lowest-cost Silver plan, and $297 per second-lowest-cost Silver plan. Lowest-cost Bronze plans are expected to cost $227 per month.

Those figures mean Nevada has the 19th-lowest premiums for the lowest-cost Silver plans, is tied for 14th-lowest on the second-lowest-cost Silver plans (tied with the District of Columbia), and 15th-lowest premiums for lowest-cost Bronze plans (tied with Idaho).

The averages are calculated as a weighted average, based on who under the age of 65 experts expect will signing up for the health care plans at a county level.