Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Crook County’s State House Representative, Chip Neiman, in his new position of power in the legislature (Majority Floor Leader) has been given the ability to keep bills from coming to the floor for a vote. He is currently holding two bills that are critical to increasing healthcare access in Wyoming.

House Bill 04 would expand Medicaid coverage as it currently exists for new mothers to 12 months after they give birth. Not passing this bill would decrease the time new mothers can access postpartum care through Medicaid to only 60 days.

Healthy babies need healthy mothers. If new moms cannot access health care, there are serious risks to both mother and child.

House Bill 80 is the expansion of Medicaid, which would add low-income individuals and families to its coverage. Medicaid covers both physical and mental health care. This expansion would help those who currently cannot qualify for Medicaid or other insurance. Expanding Medicaid is also a great benefit to Wyoming hospitals and businesses.

Both of these bills have considerable support and deserve to be brought to the House Floor for debate by the Full House.

We encourage you to write or call Rep. Chip Neiman at 307-290-0366, and email [email protected]. If you do contact him, please identify yourself as a Crook County or Sundance voter or Hulett voter, etc. in the email subject line. Our legislators get lots of contact from out-of-state and out-of-county entities.

To find these bills and all others in consideration visit: wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2023

Thank you,

Randy Leinen and Linda Rogers

Dear Editor,

As a Crook voter I appreciate all local and state lawmakers who have stepped up to serve Crook County. However, I am very concerned that Crook County Representative Chip Neiman is refusing to allow two very critical bills be heard by Wyoming’s other Representatives.

Yes, he has the “power” to do that, but he should not. HB04, Medicaid postpartum twelve-month instead of 60 days coverage extension, and HB80, Expansion, both deserve to be heard and debated by the other 60 representatives who were elected by their constituents.

HB 04 and HB 80 were both passed by their respective House committees. These committee members took a great deal of time to hear both sides of these of these bills.

Both committees debated the bills, then 18 representatives thoughtfully voted to send them to the House Floor with a “Do Pass” recommendation. Just because Representative Neiman can single handedly keep these bills from coming before the full house does not mean he should.

This is simply not right. This is not my idea of democracy in action!

If the House hears either or both these bills and votes them down, so be it. But the full House must be given the opportunity to make that decision themselves. As Representative Neiman’s constituent, I am respectfully asking him to allow HB 04, Postpartum Expansion and HB 80 Medicaid Expansion to be heard on the House Floor.

Elise M. Buhler