Hi, Nevadans!

Have you ever driven through the Las Vegas Arts District and wondered where the giant paint brush on the corner of East Charleston and Casino Center boulevards came from?

The 45-foot sculpture known as the Paintbrush Gateway is by artist Dennis Oppenheim and was installed in 2010. You can often see it colorfully lit at night. Brush up on your Arts District’s history here.

In other news: If you’re feeling trampled by a contract dispute between a hospital and your insurer, here is what you need to know to protect yourself financially as a patient.

Have a great Wednesday!

Jannelle Calderón

Newsletter Editor, The Nevadan

Las Vegas Arts District: How it became the booming hub it is today

The Las Vegas Arts District sign. (Walter Cicchetti/Shutterstock)

By Aleza Freeman

The vision for the neighborhood can be traced back to the opening of the Arts Factory (107 E. Charleston Blvd.) in 1997. Originally an air conditioning business, the historic warehouse was transformed into a space for art galleries and today contains studios and performing arts spaces for more than 30 artists, the 18Bin bar and restaurant, and retail shops.

The 30,000-square-foot Arts Factory was the major draw for the first First Friday art event in 2002, breathing new life into the area. By the end of the year, several new shops and restaurants opened.

And in 2009, a sign was installed on Casino Center Boulevard to mark the newly named 18b Arts District (a reference to the number of city blocks at the time). Since then, the Las Vegas arts district has grown exponentially.

Get artsy!

So your insurance dropped your doctor. Now what?

(Illustration by Oona Zenda/KFF Health News)

By Bram Sable-Smith, KFF Health News

“Out-of-network” means you’ll likely pay more.

If you decide to stick with your familiar doctors even though they’re out-of-network, consider asking about getting a cash discount and about the hospital’s financial assistance program.

Certain patients with serious or complex conditions might qualify for an extension of in-network coverage, called continuity of care. You can apply for that extension by contacting your insurer, but the process may prove lengthy. Some hospitals have set up resources to help patients apply for that extension.

Also worth noting, if you’re dealing with a medical emergency: For most emergency services, hospitals can’t charge patients more than their in-network rates.

Read more here

Congressional stalemate creates chaos for ACA health plan shoppers. Here’s what to know: “This year’s Obamacare open enrollment period, which started Nov. 1 in most states, is full of uncertainty and confusion for the more than 24 million people who buy health insurance through the federal and state Affordable Care Act marketplaces, including the approximately 110,000 Nevadans who get their health insurance through Nevada Health Link. Even with sign-up season underway, the fate of the enhanced premium tax credits that make coverage more affordable for 92% of enrollees remains up in the air, with the prospect of significantly higher premiums looming.” (Nevada Current)
Well into the future: “Groundwater is what some scientists call a blind resource, making it difficult to manage. With advancements in drilling technology and the proliferation of rural electricity after World War II, groundwater pumping increased dramatically across Nevada and the rural West in the 1950s and ’60s. Facing political and economic pressure, Nevada water officials issued more rights to pump groundwater than was sustainable in many parts of the state. The effects of groundwater overuse were evident even a few years later, but Nevada regulators often avoided taking action to curtail use.” (Desert Companion/Daily Yonder)

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