Tuesday, April 6, 2021 • Sublette Examiner • Page 7 WYOMING WINDS How the killed Medicaid expansion, again

By Nick Reynolds, WyoFile.com via Wyoming News Exchange CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Senate expansion proposal March 31 by another 3-2 nounced he would allow Medicaid expansion incremental victories. Committee on Labor, Health and Social Ser- vote, with Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette, to be heard on the floor, where it ultimately Throughout the week, expansion-support- vices voted March 31 to kill a House-spon- changing his vote. passed on third reading by a 32-28 vote. ing lawmakers from the House of Represen- sored effort at Medicaid expansion. It was an unsurprising but disappoint- After the vote, Senate Vice President Larry tatives were a regular presence in the Senate The 3-2 vote, which came after more than ing conclusion for advocates, who said the Hicks told reporters HB 162 would receive a chambers. three hours of public testimony and debate, House’s vote to pass Medicaid expansion fair hearing if it advanced out of committee. Groups like Healthy Wyoming and the likely ends this year’s effort to close Wyo- faced slim prospects of being replicated in the The issue, advocates say, was that leader- Equality State Policy Center rallied more ming’s “Medicaid gap.” Senate. But it also came after weeks of politi- ship then assigned Martinez’s bill back to the than a dozen individuals from across the Expansion advocates argued that expan- cal pressure and outside influence that some Senate Labor Committee, which many — in- state to testify at the 7 a.m. hearing March sion would provided medical coverage for observers — including the bill’s sponsor, cluding some senators — believed would kill 31, though only about half were heard. 24,000 uninsured Wyomingites, extended Rep. John Romero-Martinez, R-Cheyenne, the bill before it reached the Senate floor. On Even industry groups like the Wyoming financial support to the state’s ailing hospi- — believed hastened the bill’s demise. March 30, Sen. , R-Lander, — who Business Alliance, which often opposes gov- tal system and brought hundreds of millions “There was a concerted effort from a cor- shared his own experience from a time when ernment expansion programs, lobbied in sup- of dollars in revenue to Wyoming’s cash- ner (to kill the bill),” Martinez said March he was uninsured — attempted to overrule the port of the bill. strapped state government. 31. committee assignment with a floor motion to And there was even more pressure behind Wyoming Department of Health num- Early in the session, the Senate Labor re-assign the bill to his Senate Revenue Com- the scenes, Richard Garrett, the Wyoming bers support those assertions. According to Committee’s vote to advance its own ver- mittee, which he believed had the votes to State Government Relations director for the DOH estimates, House Bill 162 – Medical sion of Medicaid expansion surprised many. advance the measure. American Heart Association, said in an in- treatment opportunity act, would have helped McKeown — who had railed against “so- “Did anyone have any doubt what would terview. enroll anywhere between 13,000 and 38,000 cialist health care” earlier in the meeting — happen to this bill if referred to Labor com- “A lot of the pressure you didn’t see,” he people, lowered health insurance rates for voted to advance it to the floor, prompting mittee?” Case asked his colleagues. “We all said. “I thought it was outreach from con- private providers and helped to alleviate the observers to wonder if McKeown’s “aye” know it’s not coming out of there.” stituents and advocates working together to more than $100 million in uncompensated had been an accident. McKeown declined to Many members of the Senate objected, identify those people in the House and, later, care costs private hospitals eat on an annual confirm or deny the suspicions. however, with some expressing reluctance in the Senate that would potentially support basis. That bill later died on Senate Majority to challenge Senate leadership and upend this idea.” Voluntary Medicaid expansion by the Leader ’s, R-Devil’s Tower, long-standing norms in the chamber. Case’s But pressure against Medicaid expansion states is a facet of the Affordable Care Act desk without a hearing on the floor. The attempt failed, 8-22, and the bill was sen- was robust as well. (better known as Obamacare) and has been House Revenue Committee, meanwhile, ad- tenced to its presumptive demise the follow- Cassie Craven, a lobbyist for the libertar- largely unpopular with Wyoming lawmak- vanced Martinez’s bill to the floor by a 5-3-1 ing morning. ian think tank Wyoming Liberty Group, told ers since the ACA’s 2010 passage. Some vote. Pressure on committee members to sup- members that expansion — counter to expert Republican leaders, however, like former Running up against a key procedural port the bill was robust. testimony — is “not a fiscally sustainable House Speaker Steve Harshman, R-Casper, deadline on March 22, members of the Cheyenne resident Marcie Kindred baked policy decision.” But she added that the state have had a change of heart, leading expan- House Freedom Caucus tried to run out the bread for senators like , R- has no plan to pay for the upfront cost for sion advocates to think this year’s outcome clock by attempting to bring an abortion bill Cheyenne, delivering the loaves along with the plan, that Medicaid is prone to fraud, and might be different. to the floor for debate. dozens of letters from constituents urging that Wyoming could be sued if it ever tries to The bait for Wyoming was also different That effort failed when, with the 7 p.m. them to vote in favor of the bill. Other ad- “yank away someone’s government-funded this year. An increase in the federal match for deadline passed, House Majority Floor vocates urged residents to write to their law- health care” should it regret the program in the program passed as part of the American Leader , R-Pinedale, an- makers, and held virtual rallies to celebrate the future. Rescue Plan, which proponents said would bring $120 million into the state over the next several years. For years, budget hawks in the House and Senate have raised concerns about Wyoming being able to meet its portion of the funding obligations in the future and ex- pressed doubts about the federal government making good on its commitments. With the upfront incentives from the fed- eral government and assurances from a cur- rent Biden administration official that the White House would work with Wyoming to renegotiate its federal match, further sweet- ening the deal, Harshman told lawmakers he 619 E. 1st St. • Marbleton, WY 83113 was now willing to support Medicaid expan- sion after seven consecutive ‘no’ votes on the matter. Harshman had even voted against Movies, expansion after then Republican Gov. Matt Movies Mead supported the measure in 2014. bowling$ and$ “I told her we’re not going to do this if we Adult • 8 Matinee • 6 Child under 12 • $6 All 3D • $10 can’t increase our (federal match),” Harsh- $ man said of that Biden official Wednesday. Seniorfood 55+ • 6 all at Harshman did not give the official’s name but said the former West Virginia represen- Mondaylimited - Thursday tative now works for the White House. “She 3:00pm-10:00pm said to put ‘whatever you need into the bill. We’ll work with you.’” capacityFriday and Members of the Senate Committee on 3:00pm-Midnight Labor, Health and Social Services, however, shortened were less convinced. Saturday Despite passing a similar proposal just Noon-Midnight 21 days earlier by a vote of 3-2, the Senate hours. Check Labor Committee killed a House Medicaid availabilitySunday Noon-10:00pm 2017 CHEVROLET SONIC 2017 FORD CREW CAB 2019 NISSAN ARMADA ahead of time. 62,200 miles • Great fuel mileage 3/4 ton gas • Great condition • 60,000 miles 23,000 miles • Great price on this unit Call (307) 276-4061 duringCall (307) business 276-4061 hours or Call(during (307) business 276-4062 hours) anytime for show times. www.flicksnpins.com STOCK #K1041A STOCK #G1024A STOCK #G0039A Or searchor Sale Price $10,400 Sale Price $46,800 Sale Price $44,000 Flicks N'Pins 276-3770 | 1-800-246-4439 on Facebook. E&L MOTORS www.eandlmotors.com