CHEYENNE — A broad coalition of healthcare workers and grassroots advocates is cheering the advance in the House of a bill that would increase access to Medicaid for thousands of low-income, hardworking Wyomingites who are currently uninsured.
Healthy Wyoming has worked tirelessly to advance Medicaid expansion acknowledged that there is more work to be done. House Bill 162 still has procedural hurdles to clear before it can cross over to the Senate. But the mood was jubilant after the standing division vote revealed that 37 Representatives voted in favor of HB162.
After some last minute, procedural wrangling and a rules committee call for a 2/3 vote, Medicaid expansion was the last bill of the day–with debate starting at 7:01pm. The testimony did not disappoint. With all eyes on Wyoming, national onlookers reached out to let Healthy Wyoming know how moved they were by the Representatives who reflected on years of previous no votes–and went on to explain exactly why now is the time to expand Medicaid.
“The people of Wyoming want Medicaid expansion,” said Jan Cartwright, executive director of the Wyoming Primary Care Association. “Our lawmakers heard that message and listened to their constituents.”
Julia Willis of Sheridan County put it this way, “I am not a frequent watcher of the legislature – as in almost never – but I was glued to the screen.” Willis described how when she was 35, she became extremely sick very suddenly, leave her unable to work. “I know people who have died because they didn’t have access to healthcare. I have other friends who are drowning in medical bills after life-saving procedures and aren’t well enough to work yet. Getting Medicaid saved my friend Danielle’s life last year, and it could help me get better too. How often does our legislature get to vote on a bill that saves lives *and* benefits the economy, when we need it so bad?”
Like other members of Healthy Wyoming, Willis said she felt “extremely proud of many of our representatives today,” and thanked them for taking the steps to do right by all Wyomingites.
House Bill 162 authorizes the state to negotiate Medicaid expansion to cover adults who earn less than 138 percent of the poverty level—for instance, a single parent working full time for $12 an hour. According to Wyoming Department of Health estimates, approximately 24,000 people would gain health insurance coverage in the first two years of expansion.
“What we’ve seen is how strongly Wyomingites feel about this issue. No one expected any discussion of Medicaid expansion this year and yet we’ve made it further than at any time in history. We’re excited to build on the success and continue the momentum.”
Join the movement! Reach out to your Reps to encourage their continued support of HB162!
