Wyoming urged to expand Medicare

Wyoming medical professionals are urging state lawmakers to act before it’s too late to take advantage of a pandemic-related financial incentive for expanding Medicaid coverage.
The American Rescue Plan would bring an additional 54-million dollars into state coffers, to pay for expansion but also to invest in priorities including education and infrastructure.
Jan Cartwright with the Wyoming Primary Care Association says in addition to giving up to 24-thousand people access to health insurance, the move would provide some relief for the state’s budget. “When you have more people in the health insurance pool, everybody is more healthy. I think it’s a Wyoming value that we see more people having access to health care, which really increases productivity, it increases the ability of families to thrive,” she said.
A recent Joint Revenue Committee-sponsored bill would give Governor Mark Gordon permission to discuss options for expansion with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Opponents have long argued that Wyoming doesn’t need federal assistance to take care of its residents, and warned that the state would be on the hook for additional costs if the Affordable Care Act is ever dismantled.
 

Jackson Hole Radio