Last week, Governor Mead appointed a new commissioner at the Department of Insurance. Paul Thomas Glause was previously the vice chairman of the Wyoming Board of Equalization. Tom Hersig recently left the position to become CEO of Cheyenne Frontier Days. Looking forward, Glause says the question is whether a new Republican lawsuit will succeed in dismantling parts of the Affordable Care Act, leaving states to fulfill subsidies to help pay for health insurance.  

“I think the latest number was 36 states that are in the federal exchange. So if that litigation turns out that only state exchanges are entitled to subsidies, it would have a tremendous impact. Not only on Wyoming but for a lot of other states as well.”

As commissioner, Glause says he also intends to investigate the option to take advantage of so-called “innovation waivers” provided by the Affordable Care Act.

“What type of innovative waivers would benefit the state?” He’s interested in finding out since these would help provide financial aid for people making more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level, a group Glause says doesn’t currently receive subsidized help for insurance in Wyoming.

The Affordable Care Act mandates that all Americans are required to buy health insurance and, starting this year, will be deducted a fine through their taxes if insurance isn’t purchased.