Failed proposal would raise nursing homes’ Medicaid payments for two years

Medicaid would pay skilled nursing homes 5% more for covered services. The payment rule would cover skilled nursing homes providing services under Wyoming’s medical assistance program. The proposal would need to become law before this payment requirement could take effect. The higher rate would apply to services provided on or after July 1, 2026, and on or before June 30, 2028.

The proposal would set aside the money for the Wyoming Department of Health to pay the higher nursing home rates. The money would support the proposed 5% increase in payments to skilled nursing homes. The money could not be transferred or spent for another purpose. Unused money that had not been committed would return as required by law on June 30, 2028. Lawmakers express an intent to include these amounts in the department’s standard budget for the following two-year period. This does not require that later funding. The funding would cover July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, if the proposal became law.

The Wyoming Department of Health would write rules to carry out the proposal and report its added costs to lawmakers. The department would report to the legislative committees responsible for budget matters and for labor, health, and social services. The report would include any recommendations for changing skilled nursing home payment rates. The report would be due by October 31, 2027. The rulemaking requirement would take effect when the proposal became law; the reporting requirement would take effect July 1, 2026.