SF129 failed on with a 19-11 vote
Cheyenne, WY – A
bill supporting the expansion of Medicaid failed the Wyoming Senate today. The
bill, sponsored by Senators Von Flatern, Emerich, and Pappas and Representative
Wilson, failed with a 19-11 vote.
“I commend the Senate for working incredibly hard over the last two weeks to try and put together a piece of legislation that proposed to expand Medicaid services on a cost neutral basis to the general fund,” said Senate President Phil Nicholas, “The bill was improved at several stages but did not achieve majority approval of the Senate. Many Senators campaigned on the promise to not expand Medicaid services. The bill was worked hard and all Senators had a difficult final decision to make.”
SF129 was a working bill of the Governor’s SHARE plan. It had an amendment coming into the Senate that added Senator Charles Scott’s health savings account model but that amendment was defeated by the Senate last Friday. Today, with an additional two amendments added, the bill was still defeated.
Amendments to the bill included requiring Medicaid enrollees to work 32 hours a week, though today an amendment from Senator Meier allowed for the exemption of the work requirement for students.
There were concerns voiced from multiple Senators that other states who have enacted Medicaid have had a plethora of administrative difficulties when rolling out the program, that adding this program would only increase the federal debt, and that Wyoming has succeeded in finding their own way to serve the needs of the citizens in the past.
A bill brought forth by Representative Wilson that would have introduced a Medicaid bill into the House was withdrawn from further consideration today from the House Labor, Health, & Social Services committee. During the committee hearing, Chairman Harvey said “the House could amend this but it would be an exercise in futility, the Senate won’t pass this no matter what we do.” Chairman Harvey is further resolved to find solutions that will ease hospitals losses and help Wyoming citizens with medical needs.
“I commend the Senate for working incredibly hard over the last two weeks to try and put together a piece of legislation that proposed to expand Medicaid services on a cost neutral basis to the general fund,” said Senate President Phil Nicholas, “The bill was improved at several stages but did not achieve majority approval of the Senate. Many Senators campaigned on the promise to not expand Medicaid services. The bill was worked hard and all Senators had a difficult final decision to make.”
SF129 was a working bill of the Governor’s SHARE plan. It had an amendment coming into the Senate that added Senator Charles Scott’s health savings account model but that amendment was defeated by the Senate last Friday. Today, with an additional two amendments added, the bill was still defeated.
Amendments to the bill included requiring Medicaid enrollees to work 32 hours a week, though today an amendment from Senator Meier allowed for the exemption of the work requirement for students.
There were concerns voiced from multiple Senators that other states who have enacted Medicaid have had a plethora of administrative difficulties when rolling out the program, that adding this program would only increase the federal debt, and that Wyoming has succeeded in finding their own way to serve the needs of the citizens in the past.
A bill brought forth by Representative Wilson that would have introduced a Medicaid bill into the House was withdrawn from further consideration today from the House Labor, Health, & Social Services committee. During the committee hearing, Chairman Harvey said “the House could amend this but it would be an exercise in futility, the Senate won’t pass this no matter what we do.” Chairman Harvey is further resolved to find solutions that will ease hospitals losses and help Wyoming citizens with medical needs.
