Medicaid expansion heads to House floor

WYOMING – A bill expanding Medicaid eligibility in Wyoming passed through the Labor committee Wednesday and will now be considered by the whole of the House.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Andy Schwartz, D-Teton, believes that expanding Medicaid access in Wyoming is necessary for both economic and medical reasons.

“When people have access to healthcare, they tend to be healthier in the long run. More people receiving preventative care means fewer people with preventable diseases later,” Schwartz said. “If you don’t have insurance, you may have to go to the emergency room for something that could be taken care of in a regular visit. The bills are too high to pay, so the hospitals take a loss of about $130 million/year. This makes healthcare more expensive for everyone. We can help put an end to that, keep our people healthy, and help make sure our doctors and hospitals stay in business.”

Schwartz promised his constituents during a campaign run last fall that Medicaid expansion would be at the top of his list of concerns.

Read more: https://buckrail.com/medicaid-expansion-heads-to-house-floor/