Wyoming Considers Medicaid Expansion

Obamacare continue to gain ground. Dylan Scott at Talking Points Memo explains why even a deep red state like Wyoming is discussing accepting Medicaid expansion.

There is now a growing body of evidence about how refusing to expand Medicaid hurts hospitals financially. Fitch Ratings cited missing Medicaid money in recent credit rating downgrades for some hospitals in non-expansion states. Meanwhile, hospitals in expansion states have reported drops in uninsured patients and the corresponding increase in paying customers, a sure benefit to their bottom line.

Hospitals were among the key stakeholders that helped to get Obamacare passed in the first place. But they've been hung out to dry in states that declined to expand Medicaid. Some hospital associations in major states have said that they're basically giving up for the time being until the political winds change. But others in states like Wyoming are pressing on and perhaps setting a template for how to push expansion through in these tougher political environments.