Wyoming Legislature Again Says No to Medicaid Expansion

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming House of Representatives has rejected a proposal to expand the federal Medicaid program.

The House voted 41-to-15 on Thursday against a proposed budget amendment that would have committed Wyoming to a two-year expansion of Medicaid.

Sponsor Cheyenne Republican Rep. Dan Zwonitzer said expansion would offer health insurance to 17,600 low-income adults. He said accepting the federal offer of more than $100 million a year in funding would reduce the amount of charity care that hospitals in the state must provide to people now lacking insurance.

Opponents of the bill said they don't trust federal promises to continue to pay the bulk of the expansion costs and fear it would be difficult ever to reduce the program.

The Wyoming Senate earlier this month also voted to reject expansion.