February 26 - March 1, 2024

Session Update

Bill for Comprehensive Prior Authorization Reform

Heads to Governor's Desk for Signature

The third week gave WMS members a great reason to celebrate! House Bill 14 - Prior Authorization Reform, sailed through the Senate with unanimous support and was sent to the Governor for signature after receiving unanimous concurrence from the House. Interested in seeing how your legislator voted on this important legislation? Look up their vote by clicking HERE.

This legislation will bring meaningful relief to physicians and their patients from the burdensome practices of prior authorization imposed by insurance companies. House Bill 14 received overwhelming support as a result of WMS's critical partnership with the Wyoming Hospital Association and the hard work of both organizations engaging with insurance industry players to reach compromise positions.

A huge thanks to the long list of WMS members who testified on this bill throughout the interim and answered texts and phone calls from WMS staff seeking guidance and direction as the language developed and unfolded. We couldn't do it without you!

Status Updates

Of the 36 bills or senate files on the WMS radar, only a handful remain active in this year's process. We are proud to report that at the close of this week, WMS is on the prevailing side, meaning the legislative outcome aligned with our advocacy position, on 90% of the bills on which we took an active advocacy role.

To learn more about the proposals that continue to move through the process and those that have been passed to the Governor or defeated, check out the WMS Legislative Bill Tracker.

WMS Doc and PA of the Day

Bill Status Report

Legislation Awaiting Governor's Signature

House Bill 14 - Prior authorization regulations SUPPORT

House Bill 15 - Health insurance-reimbursement of overpayment SUPPORT

House Bill 25 - Medicaid-third party payor conditions MONITOR ONLY

House Bill 148 - Regulation of surgical abortions MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 5 - Organ transplant recipient protection MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 81 - Hospital or healthcare district created MONITOR ONLY

Active Legislation of Interest to WMS

House Bill 1 - General government appropriations

House Bill 90 - Newborn child safe havens-age of child SUPPORT

Senate File 1 - General government appropriations

Senate File 7 - Behavioral health redesign - vulnerable adults MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 57 - Wyoming adult hearing aid program SUPPORT

Senate File 69 - Hospice care reimbursements SUPPORT

Senate File 98 - Statute of Limitations-medical procedures on minors MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 99 - Chloe's Law - children gender change prohibition UNDER BOARD REVIEW

Senate File 100 - Prompt payment of insurance claims MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 115 - Behavioral health redesign amendments - 2 MONITOR ONLY

Failed Legislation of Interest to WMS

House Bill 24 - Certificate of need repeal MONITOR ONLY

House Bill 44 - Parental rights in minor child's healthcare OPPOSE

House Bill 53 - Public health emergency definition amendments OPPOSE

House Bill 57 - Parental rights regarding vaccination OPPOSE

House Bill 59 - Prohibiting mask, vaccine and testing discrimination OPPOSE

House Bill 63 - Sex and gender changes for children - prohibited MONITOR ONLY

House Bill 76 - Reproductive Freedom Act MONITOR ONLY

House Bill 91 - Health mandates CDC and WHO jurisdiction in Wyoming OPPOSE

House Bill 95 - Health care providers - submission of insurance claims AMEND

House Bill 108 - Protection of Healthcare Workers SUPPORT

House Bill 115 - Donated blood mRNA disclosure OPPOSE

House Bill 123 - Mandatory immunizations repeal OPPOSE

House Bill 124 - Vaccination for smallpox repeal OPPOSE

House Bill 137 - Chemical abortions - ultrasound requirement OPPOSE

House Bill 143 - Practice of behavior analyst and technician family members MONITOR ONLY

House Bill 150 - Protecting religious assembly in states of emergency act OPPOSE

House Bill 156 - Best interests of a child gender affirming treatments

House Bill 173 - Pharmacy Benefit Manager - amendments

House Bill 186 - 988 hotline - appropriation SUPPORT

House Bill 216 - Advanced practice registered nurses certification OPPOSE

House Joint Resolution 4 - Right of health care access constitutional amendment MONITOR ONLY

Senate File 108 - Protecting water from chemical abortion waste

What to Watch for Next Week

Budget Conference Committee Negotiations

House and Senate leadership appointed the conference committee members earlier this past week. Five members of the House and Five members of the Senate are now tasked with coming together to negotiate a compromise budget by closing the more than $1 Billion dollar gap created by the independent Senate and House versions of the 2025-2026 biennium budget.

Senate File 99 - Chloe's Law

Senate File 99 - Chloe's Law children gender change prohibition will be debated by the House Judiciary committee Monday morning, 3/4. The hearing will start at 7:30 am with Senate File 99 being the second bill for consideration that morning.

Anyone interested in weighing in or testifying on the bill can use this LINK to sign up for virtual testimony. For anyone wanting to attend in person, the meeting will be in Capitol Extension Room E001.

Get Engaged

WYOPAC

Ever find yourself wishing that Wyoming would elect more physician-friendly lawmakers to debate and decide the complicated and nuanced policies impacting your practice? The Wyoming Medical Political Action Committee (WYOPAC) is a great way to make sure your money goes as far as possible in supporting and encouraging thoughtful, serious candidates in the 2024 election.

Consider donating and becoming a member of WYOPAC today! Click HERE to learn more!

Thank you to our supporters

The WIRE

WMS invested a great deal of time and resources to establish THE WIRE designed to enable any member, at any time, to take an active role in shaping the policy agenda for the medical society.

• Log into THE WIRE and see if any proposals have been submitted for review and comment. Once logged in, you can navigate to all the proposals submitted to date by clicking on the Proposals Archive.
• Review the comprehensive listing of bills on the state legislative website, or on the WMS Bill Tracker. See if anything catches your attention.
• Want to poll the WMS members on an issue? Submit a proposal in THE WIRE for voting and comment across the membership for the WMS Board to review.

Remember, logging into THE WIRE is easy. Simply use the email on file with WMS and the same password you have set to log into www.wyomed.org for your member account management. If you have any trouble, simply use the Reset Password feature on the site, or contact a member of the WMS staff for assistance at 307-635-2424 or at info@wyomed.org

How To Stay Connected



Use wyoleg.gov to learn more about this year's legislative process. Below are quick links to important information.

Daily Calendars including floor calendars, audio streams, and committee schedules

Bill Listing that includes all legislative proposals posted for the 2024 Session

As always, Executive Director Sheila Bush welcomes and invites any and all communication. If you have questions about the status of a bill, want to provide feedback or input on legislation, have questions about using THE WIRE, or want to share your thoughts on any other aspect of the WMS advocacy work, please email her at sheila@wyomed.org or call her cell phone at 307-630-8602.