After months of negotiations with the federal government, the Wyoming Department of Health unveiled a plan today/Wednesday for using federal dollars to expand Medicaid in the state. The proposed state plan is called Share and it includes provision for work training, Co-pays and Health Assessments. Laramie Democrat Chris Rothfuss is a supporter of expanding Medicaid. He says he's okay with the requirement that some people pay a small amount into the plan.
“That’s not to say that these people will find it easily affordable, but at the end of the day in terms of affordability and in terms of care, this is easily a step in the right direction.”
But Senate Health and Labor Committee Chair Charles Scott immediately rejected the plan. While he likes components, Scott says the plan provides coverage above and beyond most people's needs. He says his committee will not consider the Share plan as a bill and will instead consider what’s called the Healthy Indiana plan that sets Medicaid qualifiers up with a health savings account that can be used to buy insurance and other health related needs.
“But I think you’ve got to have a proposal that goes beyond the classic Obamacare and we want to cover everybody and we don’t care about what it costs and what it does to them. You’ve gotta have one that says we want to replace that attitude with someone that it might work. And that’s what Healthy Indiana does.”
Scott said they may add some of the Share plan as amendments. The committee meets next month.
