If you live in Nevada and are 65 years old or older, you may be eligible for Medicare. Medicare is health insurance through the federal government. You may also be eligible if you are under age 65 and meet certain medical requirements.

Read on to learn about your Medicare options in Nevada, when and how to enroll, and next steps.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported the following information on Medicare trends in Colorado for the 2022 plan year:

  • A total of 558,698 residents of Nevada are enrolled in Medicare.
  • The average Medicare Advantage monthly premium decreased in Nevada compared to last year — from $3.24 in 2021 to $3.41 in 2022.
  • There are 94 Medicare Advantage plans available in Nevada for 2022, compared to 77 plans in 2021.
  • All Nevada residents with Medicare have access to buy a Medicare Advantage plan, including plans with $0 premiums.
  • There are 12 different Medigap plans offered in Nevada for 2022.

Original Medicare

Original Medicare covers hospital stays and outpatient care under parts A and B, respectively.

Part A covers care in a hospital, critical access hospital, or limited time in a skilled nursing facility.

Part B covers other medical care outside a hospital, including:

  • visits to your doctor
  • preventive care
  • lab tests, diagnostic screenings, and imaging
  • durable medical equipment

Medicare Advantage in Nevada

Private insurers also offer Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Medicare Advantage plans offer the same benefits as parts A and B of original Medicare but often have extra coverage (with an additional premium) that could include:

Medicare Advantage plans in Nevada are offered by the following insurance carriers:

Not every carrier offers plans in all Nevada counties, so your choices will vary based on your ZIP code.

Medicare supplement plans in Nevada

Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap) helps cover out-of-pocket costs for parts A and B. These plans are offered through private insurance providers.

In Nevada, many insurance companies offer Medigap plans. For 2022, some of the companies offering Medigap plans throughout the state include:

You’re eligible for Medicare if you’re age 65 or older and a citizen or legal resident of the United States for the past 5 years or more.

If you’re under age 65, you may be eligible if you:

You can use Medicare’s online eligibility tool to determine your eligibility.

When can I enroll in Medicare Nevada plans?

The original window to enroll is when you turn age 65. You can enroll anytime in the 3 months before, the month of, or the 3 months after your 65th birthday.

If you missed your IEP and need to sign up for original Medicare or switch plan options, you can do this during the general enrollment period. The general enrollment period occurs annually between January 1 and March 31, but your coverage will not begin until July 1.

You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another or switch to original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment. Medicare Advantage open enrollment occurs annually between January 1 and March 31.

During open enrollment, you can enroll in a Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan for the first time or sign up for Part D coverage if you didn’t do it during IEP. Open enrollment occurs annually between October 15 and December 7.

Special enrollment periods allow you to enroll outside normal enrollment periods for certain reasons, such as losing an employer-sponsored plan, or moving out of your plan’s service area. This way, you don’t have to wait for open enrollment.

Tips for enrolling in Medicare in Nevada

With so many options available, it’s important to consider your healthcare costs and needs each year to determine the best plan for you.

If you expect high healthcare costs in the coming year, you may want a Medicare Advantage plan so costs are covered after you reach the out-of-pocket max. A Medigap plan may also help with high medical expenses.

Other things to consider are:

  • monthly premium costs
  • deductibles, copays, and coinsurance
  • providers in a plan’s network

You can review the CMS star ratings to see how well certain plans score on quality and patient satisfaction.

For more information about Medicare plans in Nevada, reach out to any of the following resources:

  • More than 550,000 Nevada residents are enrolled in Medicare.
  • There are several private insurance companies offering various types of Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans in Nevada.
  • Overall, monthly premium costs have decreased for 2022 Medicare Advantage plans in Nevada.
  • There are also several Medigap plan options if you live in Nevada and are looking for additional coverage.