Nevada approves marketing contract for health exchange

The Board of Examiners on Tuesday approved a $6 million contract to provide marketing and outreach education about the Silver State Health Exchange.The exchange was created under the federal Affordable Health Care Act to connect individuals and small businesses with health care providers.Exchange managers said they expect the marketing project to be in three phases — planning, education and a “call to action.” The money will help identify target markets, develop the message and brand and to create a web portal.Gov. Brian Sandoval said after the contract was approved he supports the marketing effort but still opposes putting state General Fund money into the program once federal funding ends.“I’ve been very clear that once the federal money runs out, the exchange has to stand on its own,” he said.Sandoval also was informed that Workforce Connections in Southern Nevada has made substantial progress in resolving issues raised in a critical audit last year. Auditors complained that particularly the southern board was using far too much federal money for administrative costs. He was told Tuesday the board that provides worker training and other services has greatly reduced some of those costs.Auditors said in the past, that operation was spending 21 percent of the money it received on administration compared to just 11.3 percent by Nevadaworks in the north. Both those numbers are higher than the state-run board, which reported less than 10 percent of funding going to education.