WYOMING — A bill that would provide health insurance for uninsured pregnant individuals for a full year postpartum passed on the Wyoming House floor 34-28 today, Feb. 8.
Meanwhile, the clock ran out on HB80, Medical treatment opportunity act-Medicaid reform, the only Medicaid expansion bill proposed this session. House Majority Floor Leader, Rep. Chip Neiman, opted to not introduce the bill for debate ahead of the Jan. 6 deadline.
HB4, Medicaid twelve-month postpartum coverage, would provide health insurance coverage for qualifying pregnant individuals enrolled in Medicaid according to the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act or enrolled in the Child Health Insurance Plan.
If passed into law, the Wyoming Department of Health would be required to include funding for the program in its next budget request. According to the bill details, coverage would end at the end of March 2027.
According to the bill details, there is $3.8 million from the general fund and another $3.8 million from federal funds to provide temporary assistance from July 1 through June 2024.
The bill was sponsored by the Joint Labor, Health & Social Services Interim Committee. Reps. Mike Yin, Liz Storer and Andrew Byron, who each represent different Teton County districts, voted in favor of the bill.
Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Park County), who has championed bills restricting abortion access in Wyoming, voted against HB4.
This session Rodriguez-Williams’ sponsored HB152, Life is a Human Right Act, which aims to further bolster legislation banning abortion in the state, passed its second reading on the House floor yesterday Feb. 7, and is scheduled to be heard for its third reading today. A recess was called until 2 p.m.
