The federal government has provided millions of dollars to states to offer Medicaid Health Insurance to what’s known as the working poor. Last week, after months of discussion, the Wyoming Department of Health unveiled its plan for expanding Medicaid in the state.
Low income people who do not currently qualify for Medicaid and do not make enough money to be able to get insurance via the Affordable Care Act would be eligible. Governor Matt Mead and several health care organizations support the plan, but it still has the difficult task of getting through the legislature.
Wyoming legislators have opposed Medicaid Expansion in the state, mostly due to their opposition to the Affordable Care Act. This despite the fact that the state was offered millions to implement the plan. Dan Neal of the Medicaid Solutions Coalition says helping nearly 18-thousand people get insurance is necessary.
“You know basically it’s a once in a generation opportunity to improve the quality of life for people who are at the low end of the income spectrum.”
Approximately 800 new jobs could be created as a result of the expansion, so it has a significant economic benefit to the state's economy as well as benefiting 17-thousand plus people who need health coverage.
Earlier this year legislators voted down a chance to expand Medicaid, but the sponsor of the bill, Laramie Senator Chris Rothfuss, managed to get a budget amendment directing the Governor and the Wyoming Department of Health to work with federal officials to develop a customized Wyoming plan. In it, participants would be required to pay for some of the services they’d receive and for those on the higher end of the income level to pay a small amount for the insurance. What the Department came up with was the Share plan that federal officials indicated they would support.
Department of Health Director Tom Forslund said it incorporates all of those ideas and also provides services to people who want to get a better job, so that they can get off of Medicaid.
“We think we could do this without incurring additional state general fund costs.”
He added that if the state expands Medicaid it would be given between 100 and 120 million new dollars from the federal government and State’s Economic Division says that would have quite an impact.
“Approximately 800 new jobs could be created as a result of the expansion, so it has a significant economic benefit to the state’s economy as well as benefiting 17-thousand plus people who need health coverage.”
It would also help hospitals reduce the debt burden of offering uncompensated care. Senator Rothfuss likes the idea.
“At the end of the day in terms of affordability and in terms of access to care this is a major step in the right direction.”
But a key Senator thinks differently. Charles Scott is the influential Chairman of the Senate Health, Labor, and Social Services committee. He is a longtime opponent of Medicaid, because he believes it provides benefits, but does not provide a way for people to practice preventive medicine.
Scott likes parts of the state plan, but would prefer an approach known as the Indiana plan that gives people a Health Savings Account that they can spend on private insurance.
“Funded in part from premiums from the individuals and in good part by payments from Medicaid. That enables you to use meaningful co-payments for health care that people can’t afford otherwise.”
Scott says people could keep the accounts when they leave the system. He says it’s important to provide quality health care and services to people without running up costs.
“But I think you have to have a proposal that goes beyond the classic Obamacare we want to cover everybody, but we don’t care what it costs and what it does to them.”
Governor Matt Mead opposed expansion a year ago, but has changed his tune. He would like legislators to adopt the Department of Health’s Share plan, but says he has an open mind.
“We need to go forward with this or if the legislature wants to come up with a different plan I certainly would be open to that. But I don’t think we can say to those people who are working that we aren’t going to do anything.”
Mead said it’s cheaper for the state to manage the Share plan than any other approach. Senator Rothfuss is hopeful that legislators will agree.
“There’s a decent chance that the Senate will look at the total savings here and recognize that we have to do something. That we asked for the best option, this is the best option.”
Dan Neal of the Medicaid Solutions Coalition says there is a lot riding on legislative action.
“It would help Wyoming’s health care system both in rural areas and across the state."
The Joint Health, Labor, and Social Services Committee will consider both approaches later this month.
