WHEREAS, the federal government, once again, has sweetened the reward, temporary as it may be, to the 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid under President Obama's Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"); and
WHEREAS, the latest incentive comes in the form of a federal promise to pay 90% of the costs to cover the new enrollees for two years plus a 5% increase, also for two years, in provider payments; and
WHEREAS, in these times, we must be wary in trusting the federal government to have the best interests of Wyoming at heart; and
WHEREAS, Wyoming's economic future is fragile, and our ability to continue serving the expanded Medicaid population after two years is uncertain; and
WHEREAS, history has demonstrated that a public benefit, once extended, is impossible to withdraw; and
WHEREAS, new HHS rules are coming out with alarming frequency, applying to all medical providers, clinics, and hospitals that accept federal funds under Medicaid and Medicare, the most recent coming this week mandating transgender treatments; and
WHEREAS, an expansion population would qualify for, and should more appropriately be moved onto, the premium-free ACA Silver Plan; and
WHEREAS, once Medicaid is expanded, federal law demands that new members be covered permanently, even when the 90% federal share goes away; and
WHEREAS, once Medicaid is expanded, the federal law is unclear as to a state's ability to "withdraw" from the program if HHS mandates and rules become too expensive or unreasonably onerous; and
WHEREAS, the experience of other expansion states is frequently that it is more expensive than predicted and enrollments were much higher that projected; now therefore let it be
RESOLVED, that the Wyoming Republican Party, again, opposes the expansion of Medicaid in Wyoming.
Passed:
Wyoming Republican Party, 21 May 15