Wyoming’s proposal to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program included a pitch for “BearCare,” a state-operated public benefit plan to cover severe emergencies. Among them, bear attacks.
Unlike other federal relief initiatives, the Rural Health Transformation Program is a $50 billion fund that goes directly to states, not hospitals. All 50 states had applied by the Nov. 5 deadline.
Wyoming’s proposal outlined how healthcare affordability is a major concern. The pitch attributed this problem to high unit prices for medical care and the ACA’s Essential Health Benefits, “many of which go unused by generally healthy people.”
This part of the proposal aims to help small employers and individuals access an affordable benefit plan “closer in spirit to auto insurance: It covers collisions, but won’t pay for oil changes.”
The plan would be less expensive because it would only cover medically necessary care following “an emergency anchor event.” The state expects reduced risk of “moral hazard,” and provider medical rates could align with a percentage of Medicare.
The BearCare name is designed to evoke the notion of “being attacked by a bear. In this way, it brings the idea of health coverage back to its roots,” while addressing the “‘bear necessities,'” the proposal said.
