A legislative committee considering legislation to expand Medicaid will now consider a second expansion proposal.
This proposal is one favored by Governor Matt Mead and crafted by the Wyoming Department of Health with help from federal health officials. The so-called Share plan legislation is sponsored by Gillette Republican Michael Von Flatern and three other Republicans.
"To show those in the legislature as well as the rest of the public that the Republicans, there is actually quite a few of us that consider this the way to go, and we need to expand Medicaid.”
The Senate Health and Labor Committee had favored a different bill that includes a health savings account for participants. Von Flatern expects committee Chairman Charles Scott to try and include the best parts of both proposals.
“The assumption is that this bill will be a little bit of a hybrid and will have some of Senator Scott’s imprint on it, but I also think it brings a few people on board. It’s gonna be a tight argument on the floor, I think it’s gonna be close, a couple of votes either way.”
Scott says his committee will work on the bill during a meeting Wednesday. He plans to bring Medicaid expansion legislation to the Senate floor.