Recent testimony provided to the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Revenue Committee indicated that the state’s economy would benefit significantly from the adoption of Medicaid expansion. According to a media release from “Healthy Wyoming,” the testimony came just before the Revenue Committee voted 9 to 5 to sponsor a Medicaid expansion bill during the 2023 General Session in Cheyenne that will get underway January 10. State Senator and Committee Co-Chairman Cale Case of Lander said Medicaid expansion has the support of the public, hospitals, physicians and the business community, among many others.
Representative Ed Buttrey (R) of Montana, chairman of the Montana Legislature’s Business Solutions Caucus, spoke to the positive impact of expanding Medicaid in Montana. Buttrey said Montana’s experience matches Wyoming’s goals. Before Montana expanded its program in 2016, he said, hospitals lost more than $400 million per year providing free services to low-income people who would be eligible for Medicaid expansion. He said that has been reduced by more than half.
The committee also heard from Josh Hannes of the Wyoming Hospital Association, whose forthcoming economic analysis demonstrates that hospitals are among Wyoming’s largest employers and top economic drivers. When hospitals are hit with uncompensated care costs, their economic efficiency suffers and the critical care they provide their communities is at risk.