State of Wyoming Archives: on Health Care

Merav Ben-David: Strongly supports expanded Medicaid, universal health care

Merav Ben-David: Supports single-payer, universal health care

Mark Gordon: Kept state "open for business" during pandemic

As we move into the next phase of managing the pandemic and consider President Trump's guidelines for "Opening Up America Again," we are applying our propensity for planning to reopen the segments of our economies that temporarily closed. Each of us has identified triggers for when regions of our states and sectors of our economies should reopen, based on metrics tailored to our unique circumstances. We are sharing expertise and best practices on how to safely reopen restaurants, churches, gyms and other businesses while continuing to slow the spread of infection.

Mark Gordon: Improve mental health care; launch in-state suicide hotline

Yana Ludwig: Universal healthcare guarantee; deprivatize health insurance

Yana Ludwig: Supports birth control and abortion on demand

Yana Ludwig: Legalize marijuana; wipe out incarceration records

Mark Gordon: Signed legislation extending Wyoming's health insurance pool

Program summary frm Wyoming Department of Insurance: The Wyoming Health Insurance Pool (WHIP) was created by the 1990 Wyoming Legislature to provide health insurance coverage to residents of Wyoming who are denied adequate health insurance. However, due to the ACA, individuals can no longer be denied traditional health insurance due to their existing medical conditions, thus essentially eliminating the need for the Non-Disabled WHIP plan. [The WHIP pools are an alternative to ObamaCare - Ed.]

: Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 28-1-1 on 2/7/2019; Passed House 57-0-3 on 1/24/2019; Signed by Gov. Gordon; assigned Chapter Number 16 on 02/14/2019.

Mark Gordon: Craft a state-led course on healthcare

We have been given an opportunity to craft a Wyoming solut

Bill Dahlin: No Medicaid expansion; let Washington fix it

Gary Trauner: Politicians have failed young people on healthcare

The national debt as well as student load debt are issues Trauner says concern young people he talks to. "That's a system where kids are coming out $30,000 in debt--that doesn't work."

In this campaign, Trauner has used social media to interact with supporters and non-supporters alike. He does a weekly Facebook Live event where he says every question is answered, even those that may be negative or unfavorable.

Mary Throne: Expand Medicaid: a no-brainer answer to cover more people

Gary Trauner: Everyday citizens deserve same health care as Congress gets

Gary Trauner: Allow importation of lower cost drugs

On Prescription Drugs--favors importation of lower cost drugs and allowing Medicare/Medicaid to negotiate drug costs.

Charlie Hardy: I am in favor of single-payer health insurance

A: Preventive health care is an essential investment in both our physical and financial health. To better meet these needs I am in favor of single-payer health insurance. I will also do everything in my power to protect Social Security and Medicare.

Charlie Hardy: Health care is an inalienable right

A: Hardy said no one should be worried about getting sick and that health care is an inalienable right. He would like to reform Medicare to include provision of eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures at little cost to senior citizens.

Charlie Hardy: ObamaCare is a step in the right direction

Charlie Hardy: There are sick people unable to get medical attention

Liz Cheney: Can't salvage any of ObamaCare, but costs are out of control

CHENEY: Yes. We do need to recognize that health care costs are out of control. There is a need for tort reform, to purchase insurance across state lines, and to find ways to insure people with pre-existing conditions. I don't think we can salvage any of ObamaCare, and this disaster must be repealed. I would hope that even this president is having a wake-up call, realizing that the federal government cannot effectively run massive and complicated parts of our economy. Just look at this tax on medical devices. I have a 13-year-old daughter with diabetes that is reliant on a medical device. My father is alive today because of medical devices. Yet the Democrats want a tax that would create a disincentive for people to invent. This is fundamentally wrong.

Liz Cheney: Republicans who compromised on ObamaCare got used by Obama

CHENEY: Legislating is about knowing where to draw the line. Certainly, at some point, we all believe in compromise for the good of the nation. So, when the president or his allies say, "Hey, we're going to take over a sixth of the economy," Sen. Enzi's response was essentially to say, "OK, let's negotiate about that." The right response would have been: absolutely not. And, frankly, if all of the Republicans had done that at the beginning, had stood their ground and refused to compromise on this, we probably wouldn't be where we are today. Instead, you have Republicans like Sen. Enzi who gave the president the ability to say, "Hey, this is a bipartisan effort"--when, in fact, it wasn't. It was never intended to be. And they got used.

Liz Cheney: Urge the repeal of ObamaCare

Matt Mead: ObamaCare is law of the land; let's decide on an Exchange

Matt Mead: ObamaCare is not good policy; but we must act on it

Full implementation of the ACA begins in 2014 and Governor Mead said now is the time to prepare a set of conditions for Wyoming to submit to the federal government on a health insurance exchange and Medicaid optional expansion. "This body (the Legislature) has the opportunity to develop what we would like to see in that request. Now, perhaps the federal government will not agree to our terms. We can say no if they do not, but it is far better that we express our terms and make a request than to not make a request and get a package without our input. Let's view this as an opportunity for innovation."

Matt Mead: Establish litigation fund to join lawsuit against ObamaCare

As you no doubt know, I have taken steps to join the Florida lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act. I understand the criticism in doing so--some because they like the Act, some because of the cost associated with the lawsuit.

I do not like the Act--in my view it is bad policy and too costly. This law will significantly increase our Medicaid rolls. Mississippi, for example, forecasts the overall cost to implement the Affordable Care Act in that state will be $1.7 billion over ten years, including $443 million in year 10 alone.

I am willing to fully test the legality of the law because it has implications beyond health care. It is not enough to say "no". We should continue to seek state solutions even as we fight the federal law.

Dave Freudenthal: Health reform is not creeping socialism; let's try a pilot

In this pilot project, we expect participants to work at least 20 hours per week, and follow their doctor's orders. The project calls for people to have greater access to their primary care physician. What we are looking for are those things that drive the system in terms of cost. We are looking for early detection of diabetes; for early detection of cancer; for early detection of heart disease. With any ailments that can become chronic diseases, we are looking for early detection.

Which part of that is socialism? The part where we ask people to be responsible? The part to pay for their own insurance? The part where we ask people to work? I encourage you to rethink this and take a shot at it.

Mark Gordon: Competition and personal responsibility, not single-payer

To keep small businesses in Wyoming on Main Street and make sure others open we have to address the rising cost of health care. This can be done by allowing individuals to deduct the cost of health insurance from their federal income taxes. Larger corporations already do this and small business owners must be able to benefit as well. We should allow businesses and individuals to pool across state lines to lower overall costs.

The solution does not lie in a single payer system or nationalized health care. Competition and personal responsibility must be part of the solution.

Michael Enzi: Support mental health parity legislation

Keith Goodenough: Responsibility to deal with the chronically mentally ill

Yes, we have that responsibly as a civilized society, but we are falling short. The current approach sometimes seems like that card game “Old Maid”. Because of the governmental system that is based more on budgets than people, mentally ill people get passed around from place to place and never receive the comprehensive network of services they deserve. We pay more in the long run.

Tim Chesnut: State-funded access to basic health care

Chestnut indicated support of the following principles regarding Health Care:
• Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
• Support patients' right to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied.
• Allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.

Jim Geringer: More funding for prescription drugs & senior care