Wyoming health insurance market study.

26LSO-0422
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0422
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0161

Wyoming health insurance market study.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Geringer, Filer and Larsen, L and Senator(s) Brennan and Love

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to insurance plans; requiring a study regarding health insurance markets as specified; providing legislative findings; requiring a report; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

(a)

The purpose of this act is to direct a limited, data-driven study of market-based health insurance strategies while preserving fiscal discipline and legislative oversight.

(b)

The legislature finds that:

(i)

Wyoming's small population and geographic dispersion contribute to higher per capita health insurance costs and limited risk pooling;

(ii)

Small business owners, sole proprietors, independent contractors, agricultural producers, early retirees not yet eligible for medicare, seasonal workers and rural residents face high insurance premiums and few coverage options;

(iii)

A stable private health insurance market is essential to affordability without the need to expand public entitlement programs;

(iv)

Other low-population states have used market-based risk mitigation tools to stabilize health insurance premiums;

(v)

Any evaluation of Wyoming's health insurance market must avoid new mandates, subsidies or expansion of public assistance programs.

(c)

The department of health, department of insurance and department of administration and information shall jointly conduct a study regarding health insurance markets in Wyoming. The study shall be advisory only and shall not authorize any program implementation.

(d)

The study shall examine, at minimum, the following:

(i)

Whether it is feasible for residents of the state who are not state employees or officials to have access to the state employees' and officials' group insurance plan, provided that these residents:

(A)

Pay the full actuarial cost of health insurance premiums;

(B)

Pay all associated administrative costs; and

(C)

Do not increase costs, risks or liabilities for state employees and officials or taxpayers.

(ii)

Whether it is feasible to create a state-level reinsurance program designed to mitigate premium volatility in the individual or small group insurance markets, without imposing mandates, creating subsidies or expanding medicaid;

(iii)

Whether it is feasible to adopt strategies used or examined by other low-population states that have implemented or studied similar market-based health insurance risk pooling or reinsurance mechanisms.

(e)

Nothing in this act shall be construed to:

(i)

Expand medicaid or any other public assistance program;

(ii)

Create taxpayer-funded health insurance subsidies;

(iii)

Mandate participation in a health insurance pool or similar program by persons or employers;

(iv)

Implement any program without further legislative authorization.

(f)

The department of health, department of insurance and department of administration and information shall report to the joint labor, health and social services interim committee on the findings of the study required by this act not later than October 15, 2026.

Section 2.

(a)

There is appropriated two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) from the general fund to the department of administration and information for the purpose of conducting the study required by section 1 of this act, in coordination with the department of health and department of insurance. This appropriation shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2028. This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law. It is the intent of the legislature that this appropriation not be included in the department of administration and information's standard budget for the immediately succeeding fiscal biennium.

(b)

Funds appropriated under this section shall be used solely for:

(i)

Actuarial and economic analysis;

(ii)

Legal and regulatory review;

(iii)

Comparative analysis of other low-population states; and

(iv)

Administrative costs directly related to completion of the study.

Section 3.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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HB0161