Wyoming Task Force Drops BearCare Catastrophic Coverage Plan
In a WyoFile opinion column, Kerry Drake argues that Wyoming's Health Insurance Affordability Task Force should be extended another year after dropping its BearCare catastrophic coverage proposal and a state medical device purchasing plan. Legislative Service Office analysis found BearCare premiums would need to be fairly high to cover the risk pool, undercutting expected cost savings; the task force reached the same negative conclusion on the device purchasing idea. Drake notes the backdrop: over 9,000 Wyoming residents saw record premium spikes after Congress let enhanced ACA tax credits lapse, and some face increases over 400%. The task force is now exploring a health department proposal to designate "core" high-cost services for price regulation via a block grant and a utility-like commission, while leaving other services to market competition; Drake says the idea remains unfinished and raises funding concerns.