Lawmakers in Wyoming have rejected Gov. Matt Mead's (R) proposal for Medicaid expansion, according to the Casper Star Tribune.
Gov. Mead initially opposed Medicaid expansion, but has come to embrace it and the savings it could bring to Wyoming, which add up to more than $30 million over the next two years, according to his administration. Expanding Medicaid would provide coverage to approximately 20,000 Wyomingites.
The state's largely Republican legislature also rejected Gov. Mead's Medicaid expansion proposal last year due to financial concerns, as they "don't trust federal promises to continue funding if the state expands the program," according to the report.
Rep. Tim Stubson (R), who made the motion to remove Medicaid expansion from the state's budget, said he's worried Medicaid expansion could draw people away from private insurers and toward the public insurance market. He's also concerned that if Wyoming expands Medicaid, it won't be able to reverse its course of action and remove Medicaid expansion from its budget.
Rep. Cathy Connolly (D) disagrees with Rep. Stubson and is in support of Medicaid expansion. She said the potential funds from Medicaid expansion are necessary to make ends meet in Wyoming.
After the committee of legislators voted to reject Gov. Mead's proposal, Healthy Wyoming — a group of Medicaid expansion supporters, which includes the Wyoming Hospital Association — held a press conference.
"It seems to be the only federal program we're willing to turn our back on," said Wyoming Hospital Association President Eric Boley during the conference. "We'll take highway funds, we'll take all other appropriations from the feds, but because it's attached to 'Obamacare,' we're willing to turn our backs on it."