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Wyoming's Bust Touches Financial Wellness Of Hospitals

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Wyoming’s current economic decline is beginning to effect the financial wellness of hospitals across the state. Earlier this week, Wyoming Medical Center in Casper announced they would cut 58 positions in order to balance their budget.

Wyoming Hospital Association President Eric Boley says the current economic downturn is a bad one. Boley says he is uncertain if more layoffs will occur, but he expects facilities around the state to take a close look at their expenses. He agrees that Medicaid expansion would have helped lessen the financial blow and he hopes the legislature will reconsider expansion

“I really think they need to take another look at expansion and see what it can do for our state. I think the constituents view on this is starting to shift more favorably towards accepting the expansion and taking care of the uninsured.”

Boley adds that it will be a few months before hospitals feel the brunt of the downturn, but most are worried about their finances. 

“They’re all going into their budget sessions right now and creating their budgets for the upcoming year and for all my facilities the workforce is their highest expense.”

For that reason, more medical jobs could be lost. 

Maggie Mullen is Wyoming Public Radio's regional reporter with the Mountain West News Bureau. Her work has aired on NPR, Marketplace, Science Friday, and Here and Now. She was awarded a 2019 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her story on the Black 14.
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