House and Senate increased Medicaid funding

Members of the Wyoming legislature made a major change to the state budget.  

The House and Senate both supported adding 43 million dollars in the Medicaid program in the State Department of Health.  The money is provided with the understanding that the Department will look for ways to reduce its budget in the future. 

Senator Charles Scott noted that making up the shortfall that comes from the reduction of federal funds would have severely harmed the department. “I frankly think there are significant opportunities to improve the efficiency of that program to continue to deliver quality service that’s really part of our necessary support of the poor.  But I think we can do it a lot more efficiently, but we need some time.”

Scott chairs the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services committee and says they plan to find ways to make Medicaid more efficient.  Scott was also successful in adding money to the budget to reduce the waiting list for those looking for Developmental Disability services from the state.