Jobs-training program is crucial to a more effective health care system, puts Nevadans to work

July 13, 2011

Washington, D.C.  –  Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced a $251,883 grant for Saint Mary’s Foundation to train nurses in Northern Nevada as part of the Nurse Education Practice and Retention Program.  This grant exists thanks to health insurance reform signed into law last year.

“This program will train nurses in Nevada and prepare them for jobs at health care facilities throughout the region,” Reid said. “Health insurance reform continues to help Nevadans access quality care that’s affordable thanks to programs that reduce insurance premiums and train health care professionals.  Jobs-training programs like this one are crucial not only to making our health care system more effective but in putting Nevadans back to work and turning our economy around.”

Just last week, Reid announced that health insurance reform is lowering insurance costs by nearly 40 percent for Nevadans with pre-existing conditions through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP).  Nevadans who have been uninsured for more than six months because of a pre-existing condition now have access to more affordable health insurance coverage offered by a private insurance company. Nevada is one of 17 states to see premiums reduced for consumers with pre-existing conditions.

Saint Mary's Foundation promotes charitable giving and community partnerships for the benefit of Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center and the northern Nevada community. Gifts to the Foundation support mission outreach programs for the underserved; enhancements and state-of-the-art technology in our facilities; and wellness and prevention programs for children, seniors and families.