Changes are coming to Wyoming Medicaid that will impact families enrolled in the public health insurance program, the health care providers that serve them, and the community at large. Eligibility requirements have been revised and extra steps will be required to remain in compliance. To make sure families don’t lose life-saving coverage, the nonprofit Enroll Wyoming is raising awareness about the new rules and free assistance available to find affordable health insurance.
Medicaid provides health coverage to 83.1 million Americans, or more than 20 percent of the population, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. In Wyoming, there were more than 83,000 people receiving health insurance through Medicaid at the start of 2023. Health coverage helps people fulfill needs that might not otherwise be met. It plays a vital but also complicated role. After all, it’s difficult to keep up with expectations, especially when the rules are regularly rewritten.
In 2020, eligibility checks were paused. Those who enrolled in Medicaid retained their coverage – no questions asked. The goal was to increase peace of mind and productivity when the time spent reapplying and waiting for a determination could be redirected toward other needs. Earlier this spring, Wyoming Medicaid ended that policy and restarted the annual reviews. The process will stretch into 2024 as 1 in 10 Wyomingites will be evaluated.
To make reviews go smoothly, enrollees should update their contact information by calling 855-294-2127 or visiting http://www.wesystem.wyo.gov. They should then watch for print, email, or text updates on their status. Eligible families could lose their coverage if they cannot be reached or do not respond to inquiries.
A ripple effect occurs when people struggle without health insurance:
- A family’s health declines when it cannot afford preventative check-ups, ongoing treatment or prescriptions, or unexpected care in the case of emergencies. This can impair or even end lives.
- Health care providers lose business when customers can no longer afford their services. Diminishing customers and profits can cause practitioners to leave communities.
- Local governments lose revenue when spending drops, business declines, and fewer laborers are healthy enough to work. Individual conditions may grow more severe and require more expensive, emergency care that may have to be written off by hospitals. This leaves less money for community safety or quality-of-life improvements.
Fortunately, free help is available to help people find health coverage. The skilled team members of Enroll Wyoming provide free information so people can explore their options. We can help families re-enroll in Medicaid or find alternative coverage if they no longer qualify. Those who lose Medicaid benefits qualify for special enrollment in the health insurance marketplace that was created to make policies more affordable. Four out of five applicants qualify for insurance that costs less than $50 a month.
Anyone can connect with Enroll Wyoming for free by calling 211 or visiting enrollwyo.org. Navigators around the state can guide people through the complicated world of health care and identify options that best suit their preferences. We offer an independent eye as a grant-funded nonprofit that doesn’t have sales incentives or quotas.
National surveys have found a lot of Medicaid users do not know about the latest program changes. If you or someone you know relies on Medicaid, please spread the word that they need to make sure their contact information is valid and they have a free resource to turn to if they need more assistance to find health insurance. Enroll Wyoming is here to help.
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