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Nevada among states joining IRS free ‘Direct File’ pilot program
Nevada joined 12 other states in the IRS’ new direct and free filing pilot program for the 2024 tax season, the IRS announced last week. The pilot program will use the IRS software for federal tax filing, the first time this option has been available. For states like Nevada that don’t have state income taxes, […]
Nevada among handful of states funding strangulation exams for domestic violence victims
[Advisory: This story includes details of domestic abuse] As of October 1, Nevada is one of only four states providing free strangulation exams for sexual and domestic violence victims, but the state lacks the health care infrastructure to implement new laws. Nonfatal strangulations is a key indicator of escalation, with studies showing that it raises […]
Domestic abuse takes many forms, even in the absence of physical violence
Alison stopped for gas in Carson City before driving to a medical appointment for her adenomyosis, a reproductive health condition that causes fatigue, fainting, and anemia when she realized she couldn’t pay because her card was rejected. She went into Nevada State Bank, where she discovered the more than $20,000 in the joint account that […]
For Tribes in frontier Nevada, domestic violence brings a messy web of legal jurisdiction issues
[Advisory: This story includes details of domestic violence] Domestic abusers often evade the legal system with many cases being underreported, but on reservations, a lack of coordination between federal, state, and tribal laws makes prevention and prosecution even more difficult. Non-Native people commit an overwhelming amount of domestic violence against Native women and men, according […]
Nevadans can compare health plans before open enrollment begins
Open enrollment for individual health insurance plans begins on November 1 and ends on January 15, 2024. Nevadans can compare health insurance plans and costs through the state Department of Insurance (DOI) or the state-based health exchange site, NevadaHealthLink.com. The window shopping period comes as more Nevadans navigate losing their Medicaid coverage during the ongoing […]
Nevada among states joining FTC in anti-trust suit against Amazon
Nevada joined 16 states and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the online retail and tech company is a monopoly that maintained its influence through anticompetitive and unfair practices. “Amazon is a mammoth corporation and like most of my constituents, I am also an Amazon customer. There is nothing […]
State announces updated COVID-19 vaccines now available
Nevadans can now get the updated COVID-19 vaccines to protect against the new strains of the disease, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday. The Updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are available and recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older after approval by the U.S. Food and Drug […]
Medicaid reinstated for Nevadans who lost coverage due to procedural denials
Approximately 114,000 Nevadans who lost their Medicaid coverage after the pandemic-era policy to keep people continuously enrolled expired have had their coverage reinstated. The coverage was reinstated by the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) after a federal policy change on August 30 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), according […]
State’s consumer medical debt protections don’t apply to medical credit cards
Nevada law provides some consumer protections against medical debt collection practices, but those protections do not apply to the debt consumers are racking up with medical credit cards. In the 2021 legislative session, Nevada enacted consumer protections requiring debt collectors to give written notice to people with medical debt 60 days before any action on […]
White House estimates 60,000 Nevadans will save from drug price negotiations
An estimated 60,000 Nevada seniors will pay less in out-of-pocket expenses for the 10 most common, high-price drugs the Biden administration identified this week for price negotiations between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies. The 10 drugs that will be negotiated are Eliquis, Enbrel, Entresto, Farxiga, Imbruvica, Januvia, Jardiance, multiple Fiasp and NovoLog insulin products, Stelara and […]
Rural mental health services pilot program launches in Elko
A new pilot program federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) aims to provide crisis mental health services to families and youth in the Elko area. The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) oversees the free Mobile Crisis Team program, which includes two teams of a psychiatric case worker and a […]
No-cost grocery store promises help for CCSD students and their families
The gap between hunger and satiation for many Americans is is not getting any smaller as groceries, rent, and health care costs rise and pandemic-era relief ends. More families are skipping meals, eating out less, and turning to food banks for help despite inflation falling for the first time in years. Teetering on the less […]