The State Senate easily defeated a proposed budget amendment that would expand Medicaid Services in the state by a vote of 21 to 9. Laramie Democrat Chris Rothfuss says it’s a chance to bring health care to over 17 thousand people in the state. Senate Health and Labor Chairman Charles Scott continued his opposition to Medicaid expansion by saying that it will encourage people to over utilize health care. Rothfuss says his proposal actually would address that.
“We are given flexibility through the waiver process and in fact we would direct the Department of Health, The Insurance Commissioner, and governor to explore better approaches that don’t encourage that over utilization. That’s the beauty of this.”
Scott also said that it would spend a lot of federal money to only help about 15 percent of those who don’t have health insurance in the state.
While all expansion bills died, the House tacked on an amendment that would have the executive branch get a waiver to craft a plan similar to the one Rothfuss proposed. The Senate defeated a similar amendment.
