My phone has been ringing off the hook about Battle Born State Plans Nevada since open enrollment started. I'm not exaggerating. Every other call is someone asking me if these new plans are real, if they're some kind of government trick, or if they should drop whatever coverage they have and switch right now. A woman in my office last Tuesday (she lives near Sunset Station, just off Warm Springs) told me she'd heard Battle Born plans were "free insurance from the state." They are not free. But I get why people are confused, because the state didn't do a great job explaining what these plans actually are before they launched.
So I'm going to try.
I've been a licensed insurance broker in Henderson for years now. I work with 16 carriers. I have my opinions about Battle Born State Plans, and I'll share them here, including the part where I tell you how these plans affect my paycheck. Because you deserve to know that.
What Are Battle Born State Plans in Nevada?
Battle Born State Plans are a new category of health insurance sold on Nevada's state exchange, NevadaHealthLink.com. They exist because of a law called SB420, which the Nevada Legislature passed, combined with a federal 1332 waiver that the state applied for and received from CMS. The short version: Nevada told insurance carriers, "If you want to sell on our exchange, you also have to offer a lower-cost plan option." Those lower-cost options are the Battle Born plans.
They are not government-run insurance. Let me say that again. The same private insurance companies that already sell plans on the exchange are the ones running Battle Born plans. The state just set some rules about how much they can charge and what they have to cover.
Three carriers offer them right now: Health Plan of Nevada (HPN), Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and SilverSummit Health Plan. If you've been shopping on Nevada Health Link for the past few years, you already know these names. Same companies, new plan category.
How Much Cheaper Are Battle Born Plans Supposed to Be?
Here's what the law says. Year one, Battle Born plans must have premiums at least 5% below comparable standard plans on the exchange. By year five, that gap is supposed to grow to 15% below comparable plans. That's the target. Whether every carrier hits it in practice, and how they get there, is a different conversation.
I'll be blunt. The way most carriers met these premium reduction targets was not by finding magical new efficiencies in healthcare delivery. They cut broker commissions. I'll come back to that in a minute because I think you need to understand what it means for you.
The 5% savings is an average target, not a guarantee for every individual. Your actual premium depends on your age, your zip code, your tobacco status, and what metal tier you pick. Some people may see more than 5% in savings. Others may see less. That is just how insurance pricing works, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
The Broker Commission Part (Yes, I'm Going There)
OK, here's my conflict of interest, laid out plain. I earn a commission when I help someone enroll in a health insurance plan through Nevada Health Link. On standard plans, that commission is built into the premium, and it's the same whether you use a broker or enroll on your own. You don't pay extra for my help.
On Battle Born plans, the carriers reduced those broker commissions to hit the lower premium targets. So if I enroll you in a Battle Born plan instead of a comparable standard plan, I earn less money.
I'm telling you this for one reason. You should know that every broker in Nevada has a financial reason to steer you toward standard plans and away from Battle Born plans. I am not going to do that. But I want you to know the incentive exists, because I think informed consumers make better decisions, and I'd rather you trust me with the full picture than wonder later why I didn't mention it.
Will some brokers avoid mentioning Battle Born plans? Probably. That's their business. I'm going to show you every option you qualify for and let you decide.
Which Carriers Offer Battle Born State Plans?
Three carriers, and only three, sell Battle Born plans on Nevada Health Link right now.
Health Plan of Nevada (HPN) is owned by UnitedHealth Group and has been on the exchange for years. If you've ever had insurance through a Nevada employer, there's a decent chance you've had HPN. They have a large provider network in Clark County.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the biggest names in health insurance nationwide. Their Nevada network is solid, and they've been expanding their presence on the exchange over the past few enrollment periods.
SilverSummit Health Plan is a Centene subsidiary and tends to offer some of the lowest-premium options on the exchange, both in Battle Born and standard plan categories. They also run a Medicaid managed care plan in Nevada, so they have experience with lower-cost coverage models.
I won't tell you which carrier is "best" because that depends entirely on your doctors, your medications, and your budget. A plan that works perfectly for my client in Green Valley might be a disaster for someone in Summerlin whose cardiologist is out of network.
How Do Battle Born Plans Compare to Regular Exchange Plans?
Let me give you a real example. I had a client come in during open enrollment, a married couple, both 58, non-smokers, with a household income around $72,000 a year. They qualified for a premium tax credit, which brought their monthly cost down on both standard and Battle Born plans.
On a standard Silver plan from one carrier, their net monthly premium after tax credits was about $486. The comparable Battle Born Silver plan from the same carrier came in at about $461. That's roughly $25 a month in savings, or about $300 a year.
Not life-changing money. But not nothing, either.
Here's the catch, though. The networks and formularies on Battle Born plans can differ from the standard versions, even from the same carrier. My client's wife takes a specialty medication, and we had to check whether it was covered at the same tier on the Battle Born formulary. It was, in her case. But I've seen situations where it wasn't, and switching plans to save $25 a month could cost someone hundreds in higher drug copays.
I had another client, a 34-year-old self-employed graphic designer living near Henderson Executive Airport, who saved about $38 a month by going with a Battle Born Bronze plan. For him, the tradeoff made sense. He's young, healthy, rarely goes to the doctor, and mostly wanted catastrophic protection. That $456 in annual savings covered a couple months of his Adobe subscription. He was happy with it.
The point is: you have to compare the full picture, not just the premium.
Who Are Battle Born State Plans Good For?
If you buy individual health insurance through NevadaHealthLink.com and you don't have a strong attachment to a specific plan or carrier, Battle Born plans are worth looking at. Period. They're regular ACA-compliant plans with the same essential health benefits, the same pre-existing condition protections, and the same metal tier structure. They just cost a little less on premium.
They may be a good fit if you're relatively healthy and picking primarily on price, if you've already confirmed your doctors and medications are covered under the Battle Born version, or if you're someone who checks the formulary and provider directory every year anyway (which, honestly, everyone should do but almost nobody does).
They're probably not the right call if your current specialist is in-network on your standard plan but out-of-network on the Battle Born version from the same carrier. Saving $25 a month does you no good if you end up paying $200 more per visit to see your doctor.
My honest advice: don't choose based on the label. Choose based on the actual plan details. Use the plan comparison tools and check the provider directories. Or call me and I'll do it with you. That's literally my job.
The Lawsuit You Might Have Heard About
In July 2025, a legal challenge was filed against the Battle Born State Plan program. I'm not going to get into all the legal arguments because I'm an insurance broker, not a lawyer. The lawsuit raised questions about the state's authority to require carriers to offer these plans and about certain aspects of how the program was structured.
As of right now, the outcome is still pending. The plans are still being sold and are still active. If something changes with the legal situation, the Nevada Division of Insurance will have the most up-to-date information. I'll also update this page if there's a major development.
For now, if you're enrolled in a Battle Born plan, your coverage is in effect. Don't panic.
Nevada's Reinsurance Program (The Other Thing That Happened)
Battle Born plans didn't launch in a vacuum. Nevada also started a statewide reinsurance program around the same time, funded through the same federal 1332 waiver from CMS. Reinsurance is basically a backstop that helps carriers cover their most expensive claims, which, in theory, lets them charge lower premiums across the board.
The reinsurance program affects all individual market plans on the exchange, not just Battle Born plans. So even if you're on a standard plan, your premium may be a little lower than it would have been without the reinsurance program in place.
Why am I telling you this? Because some of the premium savings people attribute to Battle Born plans are actually coming from the reinsurance program that benefits everyone. It's hard to separate the two effects, and I think you should know that the picture is more complicated than "Battle Born plan equals cheap, standard plan equals expensive."
How to Enroll in a Battle Born State Plan
You can only get Battle Born plans through NevadaHealthLink.com. Full stop. You cannot buy them directly from a carrier's website. You cannot buy them through Healthcare.gov (Nevada runs its own state-based exchange, so Healthcare.gov doesn't apply here). You cannot buy them off-exchange through a broker.
On-exchange only. Nevada Health Link only.
You can enroll on your own through the website, or you can work with a licensed broker or navigator who will help you through the process at no extra cost to you. I help people enroll through Nevada Health Link every day during enrollment season, and I do not charge a fee for it. The commission I earn comes from the carrier, and as I mentioned earlier, it's lower on Battle Born plans than on standard plans.
For the most recent open enrollment period, 99,312 people enrolled in coverage through Nevada Health Link for 2025. That's a lot of Nevadans shopping on the exchange, and I expect that number to grow as people learn about the Battle Born option.
One more thing about enrollment timing: starting in fall 2026, a new federal rule means open enrollment will end by December 31 instead of running through January 15 the way it has for the past several years. Plan accordingly. That's a shorter window than you're used to.
Can I Switch to a Battle Born Plan Right Now?
If you're reading this outside of open enrollment (November 1 through January 15 for the current plan year), the answer is probably no, unless you have a qualifying life event that triggers a Special Enrollment Period.
Qualifying life events include things like losing other health coverage, getting married or divorced, having a baby, or moving to a new area. Losing a job that provided employer-sponsored insurance counts. Just deciding you want cheaper insurance does not count.
If you do have a qualifying event, you typically have 60 days to enroll. And yes, Battle Born plans are available during Special Enrollment Periods, same as standard plans.
Not sure if you qualify? Book a free consultation or call me at (702) 379-9084. It takes me about five minutes to figure out your options.
If you don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, mark your calendar for November 1 and come back then. I'll help you compare everything side by side.
The 2026 Rate Situation
I need to give you some context on premiums this year. The Nevada Division of Insurance approved an average rate increase of 22.3% for individual market plans in 2026. That is a big number, and it hit a lot of people hard.
Some of that increase is related to the unwinding of the continuous Medicaid enrollment that happened during COVID, some of it is general medical cost inflation, and some of it is carrier-specific adjustments. The point is that even with Battle Born plans offering a 5% discount relative to standard plans, your premium may still be higher than it was last year in absolute dollar terms.
I've had people call me furious, saying, "I thought these Battle Born plans were supposed to save me money!" And technically they are saving money compared to what the standard plan would cost. But if the standard plan went up 22%, and Battle Born is 5% below that, you're still paying more than last year. I know that's frustrating. I wish I had better news.
The premium tax credits are what makes the biggest difference for most people, and those are based on your income, not on whether you pick a Battle Born or standard plan. If you haven't checked whether you qualify for a subsidy, please do. You might be surprised. Use our health insurance page to learn more about how we can help, or just call me.
My Take on Battle Born State Plans
You want my honest professional opinion? Here it is.
Battle Born State Plans Nevada are a step in the right direction. They're not a revolution. They're not going to cut your premium in half. But they add competition, they give consumers another option on the exchange, and the premium reduction targets, if carriers actually meet them over the five-year ramp, could add up to real money over time.
I have concerns. Cutting broker commissions as the primary cost-reduction strategy means fewer brokers will want to help people enroll in these plans, which means consumers lose access to free professional guidance right when they need it most. I've already talked to brokers who told me they just won't bring up Battle Born plans unless a client asks by name. I don't think that serves anyone well.
The reinsurance program is probably doing more to lower premiums market-wide than the Battle Born requirement alone. And I think the state should be more transparent about separating those two effects so people can make informed comparisons.
The pending lawsuit adds uncertainty that I wish wasn't there, but until there's a ruling, the plans exist, they work, and they're a legitimate option.
If you're in Henderson or anywhere in Clark County and you want to see how a Battle Born plan stacks up against your current coverage, I'll pull up the numbers with you. No charge. No pressure. I'll show you the Battle Born options and the standard options side by side, explain the tradeoffs, and let you pick. That's what an independent broker does.
Schedule a free consultation here or call me at (702) 379-9084.
About the Author
Mary Jones is a licensed independent insurance broker based in Henderson, Nevada. She is licensed in 38 states and works with 16+ insurance carriers to help individuals, families, and small businesses find coverage that fits their needs and budget. Her consultations are always free.
Mary can be reached at (702) 379-9084 or by booking a time at jonestrueinsurancesolutions.com.
This article was last reviewed on March 30, 2026 and reflects information available at that time. Insurance regulations, rates, and plan availability change frequently. Contact a licensed broker for guidance specific to your situation.