Nevada Medicaid-for-All Insurance Vetoed by Gov. Sandoval

The move came Friday, the final day to reject the proposed bill that would have allowed residents to receive state-sponsored health insurance regardless of their income, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to the Times, Gov. Sandoval had until midnight to veto the health insurance option. Failure to do so would have seen it enacted as law, rendering Nevada as the first state to attempt a Medicaid-for-all approach to health insurance.

Sandoval praised the sponsor of the bill in his three-page veto message, but added that there were too many questions left unanswered regarding how the program would work.

CNN noted that the legislation served as a framework to help Nevadans access more affordable healthcare coverage.

The healthcare option would offer most of the same benefits as the state’s Medicaid program, but it would stand as a separate entity.

Responding to the veto, Democratic Assemblyman, Mike Sprinkle, who is the bill sponsor, said that healthcare was a right, not a privilege, noted News 4. He added that, with his veto, Gov. Sandoval had decided to veto a right that all Nevadans should have.

Sprinkle expanded upon his views on Facebook, where he wrote, "I will continue to believe that healthcare is a right and not a privilege and to make sure your government provides you with that right. Though today's veto is highly disappointing my job as your legislator is to make sure you have access to affordable and quality healthcare. As an elected representative I take that responsibility very seriously and will work hard in the future to protect all people's right to healthcare, not just the privileged."

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