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Senate Passes Proposed Alternative To Medicaid Expansion

Medical staff congregates in the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Emergency Room.
Bob Beck
/
Wyoming Public Radio
Medical staff congregates in the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Emergency Room.

A bill that is intended to be the Wyoming’s alternative to expanding Medicaid was approved by the State Senate Monday. 

The bill is sponsored by Casper Senator Charles Scott, a longtime opponent of Medicaid expansion. If the bill passes, Scott said the legislature will design a program that will provide medical assistance to those who cannot afford health insurance.

Scott and his committee have tried to come up with a similar plan in the past and failed. But Scott said momentum is growing to finally come up with a Wyoming alternative.
 
“I think if nothing else we will find that there is a relatively small number of people who can’t get eligible for one of the existing programs or Obamacare and need some help. And I think it will be relatively small, I think several hundred, and that we can afford to do something about. But I think if it gets more flexibility out of Washington, and we structure something that is a compromise, we can really do something.”

Scott said he wants to design a program that achieves better health results than Medicaid. The bill passed 22 to 8 and heads to the House of Representatives for further debate.

Bob Beck retired from Wyoming Public Media after serving as News Director of Wyoming Public Radio for 34 years. During his time as News Director WPR has won over 100 national, regional and state news awards.
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