CHEYENNE, Wyo. – As legislative business convenes today in the state capitol, lawmakers must prioritize access to health care so that tens of thousands of Wyomingites can continue to lead healthy and happy lives and have the best chance to avoid, detect and defeat cancer.
Regular visits to health care providers and appropriate screenings and diagnostics are a significant factor in early identification and treatment of cancer, improving overall health outcomes and saving lives. More than 1,300 Wyomingites lost their lives to the disease in 2024 and, with only 40% of state employers offering health benefits, thousands work hard yet often cannot afford to make health care a priority in their lives. This unquestionably means individuals making lower incomes are less likely to survive a cancer diagnosis, a reality that should be unacceptable to all, including Wyoming legislators who have the power to make change.
One in 30 Wyoming residents fall within the coverage gap and potentially face one of the biggest barriers to receive their critical screenings: cost. Individuals who fall within “the coverage gap” -- making too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to afford private insurance -- are more likely to detect cancer at a later stage when survivorship is less likely and treatment is more expensive, and sometimes forced to forgo treatment altogether.
Cancer continues to be one of the most expensive diseases to treat as evidenced by surveys that have found that a majority of cancer patients and survivors have accrued medical debt. Last year alone, some 3,320 Wyomingites were diagnosed with cancer and too many were uninsured when they received the devastating news.
“People need to see their health care providers and health care providers need public policy infrastructure to thrive in a rural state like Wyoming,” American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Wyoming Government Relations Director Denver Henderson said. “Hospitals are cutting services and some are at risk of closing. The state is in crisis and it’s time we find a solution. We are eager to work with state leaders toward that goal.”
Medicaid expansion has been enacted in every state bordering Wyoming and has significantly closed the coverage gap in each. In Idaho and Montana, roughly 100,000 residents in each state who normally could not afford a marketplace plan have access to insurance and life-saving health care and Medicaid enjoys high levels of support among voters in both states. For example, recent surveys in neighboring Idaho show that 75% of residents approve of Medicaid expansion’s service to their family, friends and communities. Our own legislators can improve health care access for tens of thousands of Wyomingites through Medicaid this year, and we urge them to act without further delay.
ACS CAN encourages individuals, businesses and organizations that are interested in getting involved in the fight against cancer to visit https://www.fightcancer.org/states/wyoming
