Introduction

When Nevadans have to choose between health care, paying rent, and putting food on the table, something is wrong with the system. As Governor, Ford will address health care affordability and access while cracking down on predatory practices that leave hardworking Nevadans with devastating medical debt.

Ford’s plan addresses the range of barriers facing patients today, from cost of care to complicated insurance approvals. Nevadans deserve affordable health care, and that starts with bringing down the price of prescription drugs and protecting Medicaid. Ford will promote access by ensuring that Nevada’s health care system meets patients where they are – including in rural and underserved areas. Ford will also facilitate growth in the health care workforce and pass insurance approval reform to ensure that patients can get the care they need when those needs arise.

As Attorney General, Ford has held big drug companies accountable for poisoning our communities, winning more than $1.2 billion in opioid settlements. As Governor, Ford will address predatory practices by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) who pocket profits from prescription drug discounts and rebates instead of passing those savings on to help Nevadans afford their medications. Ford will also work to relieve medical debt and address causal factors by implementing a debt relief program and by cracking down on price gouging and fraudulent medical billing.

Section 1: Expand Affordability & Access

Health care costs have risen across the board in Nevada, from prescription drug prices to hospital bills. With Trump’s cuts to Medicaid – and health insurance premiums already jumping 26% this year – affordable health care is becoming further and further out of reach for Nevada families. It is unacceptable that any Nevadan should have to choose between paying rent and paying for a prescription that keeps them healthy. As Governor, Ford will lower the cost of prescription drugs and fight to protect Medicaid, while addressing other barriers to health care access, including delayed insurance approvals and care shortages in rural communities.

Lower prescription drug costs: Prescription drug costs have risen faster in Nevada than any other state. As Governor, Ford will cap the cost of many prescription drugs at the Medicare-negotiated rate, fight to protect Medicaid, and make sure Nevadans can get the medicine they need without cutting pills in half or skipping refills. That means lowering the cost of critical medications used to treat heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and other serious conditions families face every day. 

Appointments: As Governor, Ford will ensure the Insurance Commissioner is focused on lowering costs for Nevadans and has no ties to insurance companies.

Support implementation of Battle Born State Plans: As Governor, Ford will help connect eligible Nevadans to the state’s new public health insurance option, Battle Born State Plans, which are cheaper than alternative marketplace plans. As premiums rise this year, Ford will roll out an awareness campaign and conduct outreach to make sure Nevadans, especially our veterans, know their options for affordable plans with lower premiums.

Expand affordable, preventative care: As Governor, Ford will increase access to affordable preventive care by investing in community health centers, mobile clinics, and telehealth. These models help deliver primary care, particularly to Nevada’s historically underserved and rural communities so that providers can address health problems before they worsen. Investing in preventive care also reduces emergency room overload and physician burnout.

Pass comprehensive insurance approval reform: As Governor, Ford will build on progress made during the legislative session to reform the prior authorization process so that Nevadans don’t have to wait months for treatment when they’re sick. Ford will work with the Legislature to develop a broad bipartisan proposal to ensure patients get access to care when they need it, including prohibiting the sole use of artificial intelligence to deny prior authorization requests.

Grow our health care workforce: Nevada doesn’t have enough doctors and nurses, and the shortage is hitting rural communities the hardest – leaving families waiting weeks for appointments or driving hours for care. As Governor, Ford will take a different approach by expanding training pipelines, recruiting health care workers to practice in Nevada, and keeping experienced nurses and physicians from leaving the state. That means more providers on the ground, faster access to care, and a health care system that actually works for Nevadans, no matter where they live.

Protect Medicaid: Medicaid is the health insurer for roughly 1 in 4 Nevadans, and it covers 60% of nursing home residents, 39% of children, and 42% of births. Trump’s cuts are projected to kick 100,000 Nevadans off of the program, with a particularly devastating impact in rural areas of the state where hospitals are already struggling financially. As Governor, Ford will continue to fight back against Trump’s dangerous agenda and work with state agencies to identify opportunities to mitigate the impact for Nevadans who will lose coverage. 

Rural health care: As Governor, Ford will work with the Congressional delegation to provide grants to increase investment in Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) to create easier access to health care facilities, especially in rural Nevada. He’ll also fight tooth and nail to keep rural hospitals open so families aren’t forced to drive hours just to fill a prescription or see a doctor.

Section 2: Tackle Medical Debt and Protect Nevada Patients from Predatory Practices

170,000 (7.2%) Nevada adults report having medical debt in a given year. Polling from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that people with medical debt are more likely to skip or delay care, cut back on necessities like food and clothes, or take money out of college or retirement savings. Even Nevadans with health insurance struggle with medical debt because of the excessively high cost of health care. As Governor, Ford will work to forgive existing medical debt and lower the cost of medical services to prevent debt from accumulating in the first place.

PBMs are pocketing billions of dollars in rebates and discounts for prescription drugs while Nevada patients are left paying full price. As Attorney General, Ford urged Congress to reform PBM practices. As Governor, Ford will continue to push for PBM reform so that savings are passed to patients, not big corporations.

Cancel Medical Debt: As Governor, Ford will work with medical debt nonprofits to relieve debt for Nevadans whose annual income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level or the medical debt owed is 5% or more of their annual income. With every $1 erasing $100 in medical debt on average, this partnership will relieve the burden of debt that’s crushing thousands of Nevadans across the state.

Crack down on PBMs: PBM middlemen are responsible for negotiating drug prices, receiving billions of dollars in rebates and discounts that could reduce the cost of brand medicines by 50% or more. Instead, they pocket these savings for their own profits, forcing patients to pay based on full price. As Governor, Ford will sign legislation to require PBMs to pass money from these rebates directly to the patients they intend to benefit.

Ban medical debt reporting to credit agencies: Nevada recently passed AB343, which bans hospitals from reporting medical debt if the hospital doesn’t follow state price-transparency laws. As Governor, Ford will take this measure further with a ban on reporting medical debt to credit agencies.

Capping interest rates: As Governor, Ford will explore capping interest rates on medical debt at 3%.

Take action against scammers: Between 7% and 14% of all health care expenditures are improperly made, according to government estimates. As Governor, Ford will work with the Attorney General to crack down on excessive pricing and fraudulent medical billing, just as he has done himself as Attorney General.
Empower Nevada Medicaid to investigate fraud claims: As Attorney General, Ford cracked down on efforts to exploit the Medicaid program that serves so many Nevadans in need of care. Right now, Nevada Medicaid has to wait for a request for a hearing on fraud claims before investigating. As Governor, Ford will expedite the process and further deter fraud by allowing Nevada Medicaid to proactively initiate investigations without waiting for a hearing request first.