News
Medicaid Expansion Discussed at Legislative Committee Hearing
Published
2 years agoon
By
Ron Richter
Recent testimony provided to the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee indicated that the state’s economy would benefit significantly from the adoption of Medicaid expansion. According to a media release from “Healthy Wyoming,” the testimony came just before the Revenue Committee voted 9 to 5 to sponsor a Medicaid expansion bill during the 2023 General Session in Cheyenne that will get underway January 10. State Senator and Committee Co-Chairman Cale Case of Lander said Medicaid expansion has the support of the public, hospitals, physicians and the business community, among many others.
Representative Ed Buttrey (R) of Montana, chairman of the Montana Legislature’s Business Solutions Caucus, spoke to the positive impact of expanding Medicaid in Montana. Buttrey said Montana’s experience matches Wyoming’s goals. Before Montana expanded its program in 2016, he said, hospitals lost more than $400 million per year providing free services to low-income people who would be eligible for Medicaid expansion. He said that has been reduced by more than half.
The committee also heard from Josh Hannes of the Wyoming Hospital Association, whose forthcoming economic analysis demonstrates that hospitals are among Wyoming’s largest employers and top economic drivers. When hospitals are hit with uncompensated care costs, their economic efficiency suffers and the critical care they provide their communities is at risk.
Curt Figler
November 25, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Okay, so our hospitals benefit – but who pays for it? This expansion is not free – nothing is. And who will pick up the tab when Federal subsidies/enticements are reduced? And what are their potential costs? Lots of unanswered questions.
Trish Byrtus
November 26, 2022 at 3:01 pm
Hopefully the legislature will be open to supporting this – it is not just about the federal government, it is about each individual and family not receive medical care, and those hospitals providing the services!
Ray Olson
November 28, 2022 at 8:33 am
Every state around us-several of which are nearly as conservative as Wyoming- has figured out a way to do Medicaid expansion (unless Noem finds another way to thwart the will of South Dakotans). The majority of Wyoming residents favor providing health care to the 14,000 of our fellow citizens who currently lack it (especially since it would provide a net savings to Wyoming’s treasury by reducing the state payments for uncompensated health costs). And if the Feds should ever rescind the 90% match we right in our agreement the right to withdraw from the progam. Let’s get it done.