Whatever slim chance there was that the Wyoming Legislature would approve a Medicaid expansion plan this year appears to be dead in light of an overwhelming House vote against it on Thursday.

Representative Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne) had proposed an amendment to the supplemental budget calling for expanding the Medicaid program to cover 17,600 low income residents.

Zwonitzer said he realized the odds of the Senate going along with the proposal were remote in light of a recent 19-11 vote in that house against expansion .

During Thursday's House debate Rep Mary Throne (D-Cheyenne), the minority house floor leader, said the arguments against expansion "don't hold water". She said the expansion would reduce health care costs, help hospitals with the issue of uncompensated care costs and cover people who currently don't have health insurance.

But Rep. Marti Halvorsen (R-Etna) said studies show that in states where the program has been expanded, uncompensated care costs have actually increased. She also said arguments that expansion would help the economy have been proven untrue.

The final vote on Zwonitzer's amendment was 41-15 against.

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