Healthy Las Vegas

It's important to maintain an awareness of your health in Las Vegas, a city that routinely scores in the bottom ten of "Healthiest U.S. Cities" reports. Bad choices are easy to make on the Strip; in fact, bad choices are a huge part of what makes Vegas so popular with visitors! A long weekend of responsibilty-free fun can liberate the mind, if not the body. For anyone planning to call Nevada home, however, a personal decision to forge a path away from the junk foods, compulsive gambling, free drinks and pervasive smoke will result in a much-improved quality of life. The great news is that it becomes easier every day. The number of stores selling quality fresh foods has increased in the last ten years, and the smoking restrictions have grown tighter.

The ages-old advice: "Drink lots of water," deserves extra emphasis in Nevada. New arrivals from more humid climates will find themselves suffering from new and surprising health problems if they don't modify their drinking behavior. The standard reccomendation of 6-8 glasses of water a day is hard to live up to, but each persons' body will be telling them how much they need to drink. The only thing to do is listen.

The booming Las Vegas economy has produced a plethora of medical options. There are acres of top-notch hospitals to choose from. The University Medical Center is a Level 1 trauma center, and home to Nevada's only burn center. Desert Springs Hospital has been in Las Vegas since 1971 and is reknowned for its work in cardiac care. Southern Hills Hospital, a division of Sunrise Health Hospital System, is a certified stroke and chest pain center. Harmon Medical and Rehabilitation Hospital focuses on rehabillitating patients after injuries. Regardless of the medical problem, Las Vegas hosts many facilities to provide the solution.

Insurance for Desert Dwellers

Health insurance is plentiful for residents of Las Vegas.

Health insurance for Las Vegans can be affordable, but it is wise to shop around for different quotes. Las Vegas offers group, individual, and government subsidized insurance. It is the responsibility of the insured to choose the best option for their situation. There are two unique plans available to low-income residents. The Nevada Check-Up plan is directed at children of low-income families. It's available for people whose income exceeds Medicaid limits but is within 200% of poverty guidelines. People on this plan pay a small premium for their health insurance coverage. The Nevada Check-Up Plus program helps parents with the cost of private insurance. Parents must work for an employer with less than 50 employees and be income eligible.