Wyoming Medicaid expansion may be on hiatus in 2016 session

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) _ Some lawmakers and advocates say the prospects of bringing up Medicaid expansion in the state Legislature next year don’t appear good.

Wyoming lawmakers rejected Medicaid expansion in each of the past three years.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1MBILLX ) that the 2016 legislative session will only last four weeks, and most of the focus will be on passing a two-year budget.

Only 26 of 90 representatives and senators voted for expansion in this year’s session.

Republican Rep. Elaine Harvey, of Lovell, chairwoman of the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee.

Harvey says the next best opportunity for the proposal to be heard will be the 2017 session.

Wyoming Hospital Association President Eric Boley says any proposal next legislative session is going to be almost an impossible battle for advocates.