WYOMING — The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is making what’s known as a Medicaid “waiver” application to the federal government aimed at expanding Medicaid home and community-based services, the department announced Monday.

The word “waiver” refers to “waiving” certain provisions of the Social Security Act, which governs Medicaid programs across the country.

According to WDH, the purpose of this waiver application is to prevent or delay Medicaid-paid nursing home stays by ‘intercepting’ people who may later qualify for Medicaid only after spending down assets in an institutional setting. 

“We’d rather try to help some of these residents before they actually begin living in a long-term care facility,” said Franz Fuchs, senior policy analyst with WDH.

“A substantial segment of Wyoming Medicaid’s annual budget is dedicated to paying for nursing home care for many of our state’s residents and it is expensive care,” Fuchs said. “More importantly, staying within the home as long as possible is what most people want for themselves and for their family members.”

The waiver would expand a limited menu of Medicaid home- and community-based services to adults over 65 years who meet the following criteria:

  • Have a monthly income that is less than 400 percent of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) standard (roughly $3,656 per month) instead of the current 300 percent limit (roughly $2,742 per month).
  • Meet a lower threshold on Medicaid’s level-of-care assessment than the current standard.
  • Have countable non-house assets less than $10,000. The current limit is $2,000.

Public comment will be open during two upcoming meetings:

  • August 24: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., in Cheyenne at the Laramie County Library – Willow Room.
  • August 25: from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Casper at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building – Turntable Room (3017).

Feedback and public comment can also be made by using this Google form.

Lindsay is a contributing reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in local policies and politics, the environment and amplifying community voices. She's curious about uncovering the "whys" of our region and aims to inform the community about the issues that matter. In her free time, you can find her snowboarding, cooking or planning the next surf trip.