Healthcare

Wyoming's HB 126, the "Human heartbeat act," prohibits most abortion procedures after a detectable fetal heartbeat is identified (typically around 6 weeks gestation), directly affecting pregnant individuals seeking abortions and healthcare providers performing them. The bill requires healthcare providers to confirm a detectable heartbeat via standard medical equipment before proceeding with an abortion, except in cases of medical emergencies that threaten the patient's life or major bodily function. Violations are classified as felonies punishable by up to five years in prison or $10,000 fines, and healthcare professionals face mandatory license revocation for noncompliance. The law creates new definitions, exceptions for medical emergencies, and penalties for violations, effective upon enactment.

SF 106 amends Wyoming's welfare and Medicaid eligibility rules to strengthen verification processes. It requires monthly checks of residency and death records, bans self-attestation for income, citizenship, and household composition without verification, and limits retroactive Medicaid coverage to two months. The bill directly affects welfare applicants and recipients, including both citizens and noncitizens, by tightening eligibility requirements. Key provisions include shorter recertification periods for unstable households (up to 4 months) and mandatory reporting to the legislature on program impacts. These changes aim to prevent program misuse while aligning with federal requirements.

HB 122 establishes Wyoming's program to manage federal rural health transformation funds, creating a permanent "perpetuity fund" to hold and grow these resources. It requires the state to distribute 4% annually from the fund's value (starting July 2026) to support rural health initiatives, with oversight by a 9-member advisory committee appointed by the governor. The bill directly affects rural health providers and communities by governing how federal funds are allocated, invested, and reported. Key mechanisms include mandatory annual fund distributions, committee approval of major expenditures over $500,000, and governance rules for fiscal accountability. This is a procedural framework for managing existing federal funds, not a new service or benefit.

This bill increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for ground ambulance services in Wyoming from July 2026 to June 2028. It requires the state to pay ambulance providers 100% of the Medicare rate (or their usual charges, whichever is lower) for emergency medical services covered under Medicaid. The state and federal governments will provide $1.3 million each for a total of $2.6 million to fund this rate increase during the two-year period. The Department of Health must report on costs and potential rate adjustments by October 2027. This directly affects ambulance providers serving Medicaid patients in Wyoming.

This bill updates Wyoming's Medicaid eligibility rules by codifying current state criteria into law. It directly affects individuals applying for Wyoming Medicaid, requiring applicants to be U.S. citizens or lawfully present, Wyoming residents, and meet one of several specific criteria (such as disability, supplemental security income eligibility, hospice care, or tuberculosis infection). The bill prevents Medicaid expansion beyond current eligibility levels as of July 1, 2026, without legislative approval. The Department of Health must finalize implementing rules by October 1, 2026, and the new rules apply to applications submitted or renewed on or after July 1, 2027.

HB 4 would add birthing center services to Wyoming's Medicaid program, allowing Medicaid to cover care provided by qualifying birthing centers. This directly affects Medicaid recipients who use birthing centers and the centers themselves, which must meet state definitions under existing law. The bill amends the Medicaid coverage list to include these services, effective July 1, 2026. This change expands access to Medicaid-covered birth services beyond traditional hospitals.