Campbell County legislators: extended Medicaid coverage for new moms will hurt state long-term
GILLETTE — A bill intended to help new mothers will end up hurting the state in the long run, according to two Campbell County freshman lawmakers.
In this past legislative session, state lawmakers passed a bill extending Medicaid coverage for new mothers from 60 days to one year.
About one-third of Wyoming’s births are covered by Medicaid, according to the Legislative Service Office. The state has appropriated $1.9 million in the upcoming fiscal year for this program, which will be matched in federal dollars. This extended coverage ends March 31, 2027.
It was a hotly debated bill, passing the House on a 34-28 vote and the Senate on a 16-14 vote.
During a meeting with commissioners and elected officials, Reps. Abby Angelos and Reuben Tarver voiced their strong opposition to the new law, which they said would have adverse effects on the community.
“Anyone that owns their own business and half a brain cell will tell you this isn’t going to work,” Tarver said.
Angleos said the costs for the program will be so high that the state will have to implement new taxes.
“Income tax will have to cover that,” she said.
“$1.9 million, just so we’re on the same page,” said Sen. Eric Barlow. “That’s what the bill is. $1.9 million of the general fund. I don’t think we’re going to need an income tax to cover $1.9 million.”
Rep. Reuben Tarver said while that might not seem like a lot right now, it’s just the start.
“To me, that’s where we’re going,” he said. “$1.9 million, $1.9 million, $1.9 million, $1.9 million every year, eventually we’re going to get where we can’t afford it.”
He worried that the federal government would eventually pull out and leave the state to cover the whole cost.
“If you give them an inch, they’re going to take a foot, then another foot, and if that’s what everybody here wants, that’s whatever,” he said. “But taxes are going to keep going up, the federal government’s going to keep backing out, the state’s going to have to keep covering more.”
Angelos said she’s heard from local health care providers that this will put more burden on them and will cause them to close their doors.
She said she also was wary of the requirements this program would have, since it is a federal program.
“What are they going to require these young moms to do, in order to get this care?” she asked. “I don’t trust the government to say, ‘These moms are going to be required to do what procedure.’ What kind of medications or vaccinations are they going to require?
“You can think I’m an alarmist, but I don’t think you can be an alarmist in this administration, so I was an absolute no,” Angelos said.
Tarver said it doesn’t matter what the program is called.
“You can call it helping mothers that need help, call it anything you want to call it," he said. "I’m a no, a hard no, on spending more money on this stuff."
This story was published on April 7, 2023.