Governor discusses need for EMS services, reduced property taxes in AARP TeleTown Hall

Jan. 19—CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon offered his priorities for the Wyoming Legislature's upcoming budget session during a TeleTown Hall on Thursday and addressed questions about rising property taxes and efforts to expand emergency services.

Wyoming AARP hosted the event, which was moderated by Jared Schaefer of the Cowboy State News Network and open to public comment.

Schaefer started the conversation by asking the governor what his focus was for the upcoming biennial budget session, which starts Feb. 12. Gordon listed a number of priorities, including expanding the state's oil, coal and uranium production, allocating more money to expand the property tax rebate program and expanding the state's tourism, agriculture and finance sectors.

However, there were two critical issues that weighed on the governor's mind: growth of emergency services (EMS) personnel and access to mental health care.

Just before the teleconference began, the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee voted down the governor's $5 million recommendation to expand EMS services.

"Where does that leave the state's efforts to reinforce EMS services across the state?" Schaefer asked.

Gordon responded that this area of health care is at a "critical impasse" in Wyoming. A majority of EMS personnel are volunteers, he said, who are aging out, and there aren't enough young people to replace them.

"(Young people) need to have the assurance that the money is going to be there, and some communities just can't afford it," Gordon said.

There are two proposed bills that will be considered in the upcoming session which aim to incentivize EMS and firefighter volunteer personnel. Senate File 3 proposes offering paid leave to state employees to volunteer as a firefighter or EMS. Senate File 8 would offer health insurance to volunteer fire and EMS personnel.

Medicare, Medicaid expansion

Gordon said another major issue was the lack of coverage for "non-transport visits" under Medicare. For older residents who are susceptible to falling and can't get back up, they are responsible for paying for the EMTs who arrive by ambulance to assist them.

"Those (visits) are not covered under Medicare," Gordon said. "We really need to look at this EMS issue carefully. I'm very disappointed that the Joint Appropriations Committee doesn't have the vision, evidently, that people really need to have these services."

Gordon urged Wyomingites to contact their lawmakers and ask how the Legislature can ensure emergency services.

"This is an issue for Wyoming, and one our Legislature needs to hear about," Gordon said.

One listener asked the governor why the state hasn't expanded its Medicaid program.

"If you really care about old people, why haven't we done Medicaid expansion? You're talking about ambulances and you want to expand uranium, oil and gas, but you won't expand Medicaid," he said.

The governor explained that oil, gas and uranium production fund "over half of the state budget." As for expanding Medicaid, Gordon said he didn't have the power to expand it unilaterally but has asked the Legislature several times to bring this topic to the floor.

A common concern over expanding the program, he said, was the federal strings that came attached.

"Once you get into expansion mode, there is always the potential that the federal government may change the way the funding works, which means more of the onus comes back to the taxpayers of Wyoming," he said.

Shortage of health care workers

Wyoming and other states have struggled to staff health care and long-term care facilities since the COVID-19 pandemic. Wyoming hospitals have resorted to hiring travel nurses to make up for staff shortages, despite the higher cost.

Washakie County Hospital Board member Phyllis Roseberry told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle last week her hospital is constantly "in the red" from hiring travel nurses to make up for the lack of local health care workers.

Gordon said his goal was to build Wyoming's health care workforce "from the ground up." This includes boosting health care programs in community colleges, such as Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, and encouraging high school students to consider a career in health care.

The flip side of the coin is the struggle of health care centers to offer competitive salaries. As a result, he said, Wyoming graduates are opting for careers as travel nurses.

Property taxes, adjusted cost of living

Gordon recommended a $20 million expansion of the property tax rebate program to be included in this year's budget. The program, which was passed in the 2023 general session, has already helped more than 9,000 Wyoming families with an average refund of $938.

There are several bills that will be considered in the upcoming budget session that address rising property taxes. One of them is House Bill 3, which proposes a property tax exemption for long-term homeowners aged 65 and older, with a few other requirements.

In the final few minutes of the session, Schaefer highlighted comments from AARP members about concerns with property taxes and inflation, as well as a lack of cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retired state employees and teachers.

"What do you say to those folks who are concerned their dollars are going a lot less farther, and they're not getting any kind of cost-of-living adjustment?" Schaefer asked.

Gordon said he's asked for money "to go toward bumping up" the funding ratio of retirement and health care plans, which have increased over the years for these workers.

"The closer we get that funded — the ratio between what the state has on hand and what people anticipate the need is — the more likely it is we will be able to get a cost of living," Gordon said.

AARP will host another webinar on Monday at 1 p.m., which will feature Sen. Fred Baldwin, R-Kemmerer, who is also a fire chief for his district. The webinar will further discuss the topic of state efforts to expand EMS services in Wyoming. To register, visit aarp.org/webinar.

Hannah Shields is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's state government reporter. She can be reached at 307-633-3167 or hshields@wyomingnews.com. You can follow her on X @happyfeet004.