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Legislative Committee Approves Health Insurance Waiver

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A plan to try to reduce health insurance premiums on the federal health care exchange was approved by a Wyoming legislative committee. 

The legislation establishes a 1332 waiver where the state and federal government would pay for an insurance pool of people with health risks, while healthier people would be in their own pool. Studies have shown that the maneuver should reduce the premiums for people in the exchange.  

Wendy Curran of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming says they hope that will prevent people who don’t get subsidies to buy insurance in the exchange from dropping their insurance. 

“We see more and more of those people simply leaving the world of insurance because they can no longer afford the premiums. What that tends to do is increase the risk level of those who are insured.”

The state’s portion of the funding would be paid for by a small assessment on existing health insurance policies in the state.  State Senator Charles Scott has some concerns about the manuver, but said that stabilizing the market is worthwhile. The full legislature will consider the bill in January. 

Bob Beck retired from Wyoming Public Media after serving as News Director of Wyoming Public Radio for 34 years. During his time as News Director WPR has won over 100 national, regional and state news awards.
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