It’s no secret that Wyoming’s healthcare system is a mess. It’s unaffordable for many hardworking Wyomingites. We have too few providers, so most of us don’t have the freedom to choose the care we need. Accessing the providers we do have often means traveling long distances.
Our healthcare system is sick. It needs some strong medicine, and it needs it now. Fortunately, we have just about the strongest prescription out there: VOTING.
Voting is a powerful 2-in-1 treatment. It removes the bad and nourishes the good. That’s because voting isn’t just an individual action: it can be a powerful community movement.
When we all vote together, we don’t just remove the leaders who want what’s worst for Wyomingites. We create a base of support and accountability for leaders who truly care.
But, you may be asking, which political offices really make a difference in Wyoming healthcare?
- STATE LEGISLATORS: Your state senators and representatives have a huge impact on your healthcare. The laws they write decide what kind of care you can access, and what your health insurance company can and cannot do. They also set the Department of Health’s budget, and provide funding for hospital patients without insurance or the ability to pay. They can also accept—or refuse—federal money to help pay for healthcare for Wyoming residents. For instance, the Wyoming House of Representatives passed legislation to accept federal money for Medicaid in 2022, but the Senate refused – leaving more than 19,000 Wyomingites without healthcare coverage they would have otherwise had.
- COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: County Commissioners have more influence over your healthcare than you might think. Health initiatives and clinics in your community are overseen by your county commission. Commissioners also direct the offices that make important decisions during ongoing health crises. Importantly for Wyoming communities, they also make decisions about funding for public hospitals. In Natrona County, for instance, the sale of the not-for-profit Wyoming Medical Center to the for-profit Banner Health was controlled by the county commission.
Our ailing healthcare system needs your help. Become informed on your candidates for state house and senate, and for county commission. The remedy is in our hands...we just have to vote for it!