Both of Wyoming's legislative chambers attempted to expand Medicaid as part of the state's 2023-24 budget, but efforts failed, according to a Feb. 28 Sublette Examiner report.
The proposal out of the Senate would have earmarked $32 million for a statewide Medicaid expansion and give the Health Department permission to enter negotiations with CMS to charter an expansion.
Senators struck down the proposal, calling it a "Trojan horse" bill that attempted to circumvent the typical legislative process by tucking it into a budget proposal. Similarly, efforts in the House faltered.
The failed adoption of both efforts means that the state will not be able to pass an expansion as part of its 2022 budget session.
Had either proposal passed, the expansion would have covered between 20,000 and 24,000 state residents. The majority of Republicans (58 percent) and Democrats (64 percent) support expansion in the state, according to the Examiner.