Currently, 19,000 Wyomingites are stuck in the coverage gap. This means they
- Don’t have jobs with health insurance,
- Make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, and
- Don’t make enough to get help paying for insurance.
Closing the coverage gap means those with incomes up to $20,800 yearly if they’re single or $35,652 for a family of three (138% of the federal poverty level) can see a doctor and avoid medical debt.
The people who will finally qualify for coverage do important jobs that we depend on, such as farmers, seasonal workers like wildland firefighters, construction workers, restaurant workers, home health aides, and childcare workers.
Closing the coverage gap will benefit many veterans who don’t qualify for the VA. It will also help parents and caregivers who lose their jobs due to layoffs and need health insurance to help them stay afloat until they find a new job.
The federal government will provide 90 percent of the costs and only require a 10% match from the state. It’s a great deal for Wyoming. For every 10¢ we spend, $1 flows into Wyoming’s local and rural hospitals and healthcare system. Since 2010, Wyoming has foregone $1 billion by not closing the coverage gap.
Research from other states has shown that state investment is more than worth it because states see thousands of new jobs boosting the state and local economies and improving our healthcare system.
Businesses will have healthier, more productive workers who take fewer sick days, giving businesses a competitive advantage. Closing the coverage gap is particularly important for small businesses that can’t afford insurance for their employees.
Closing the coverage gap will create innovations, jobs, and economic growth. Over the next five years, it could create 2,000 jobs, grow economic output by $1.5 billion, and help small businesses that can’t afford employee insurance.
Closing the coverage gap in Montana has supported 7,500 jobs and $475 million in personal income growth. Businesses in every county, industry, and of all sizes employ workers covered by the program. It also increased workforce participation for those living on low incomes, a trend not happening elsewhere in the country.
Financial stability and economic security are only possible when someone is healthy – physically and mentally. When people have the healthcare they need, they are healthy enough to find work, get job training, go back to school, hold multiple seasonal jobs, and stay employed.
10% of Wyomingites have medical debt in collections, with a median amount of $2,516, leaving them unable to participate in our local economies.
The people who will finally qualify for coverage do important jobs that we depend on, such as farmers, seasonal workers like wildland firefighters, construction workers, restaurant workers, home health aides, and childcare workers.
Wyoming ranks 49th in the nation for affordability and accessibility of medical care, which matters even if you have insurance.
Wyoming hospitals and healthcare providers are facing serious challenges covering the cost of care due to high inflation over the last several years. Rural hospitals currently provide over $100M in uncompensated care every year, and these costs force hospitals to divert resources.
Closing the coverage gap would be a lifeline for rural hospitals because expansion adds critical revenue to cover previously uninsured patients. This significant reduction in uncompensated care in other states has shown that healthcare centers and hospitals increased hours, expanded services, and added new jobs.
Yes! The State of Wyoming can end the program anytime, with no penalty. For states like Wyoming that haven’t closed the coverage gap, the federal government pays 90% of the costs for almost three years.
Zero states have chosen to leave the program after joining—and that's because it has been positive for every state that has done it, producing savings in state budgets, creating jobs, boosting the economy, and putting more people back to work!
Wyoming is the only state in the Rocky Mountain region that has not closed the coverage gap, and 40 states have expanded their Medicaid program. In Montana, the program:
- Supports 7,500 jobs and $475 million in personal income
- Helps businesses in every county, industry, and size to give workers insurance
- Increases workforce participation for those living on low incomes
No one should worry that a trip to the doctor will bankrupt them. With 10% of Wyomingites having medical debt in collections, with a median amount of $2,516, patients are making choices between their economic stability and health and, too often, are delaying medical treatment.
When people have access to health care, they can get diagnosed and treated early, when care is less expensive and outcomes are better. This will also prevent thousands of Wyomingites from a lifetime of medical debt.