Wyoming Department of Health outlines $14 million in supplemental exception requests; many items carry statutory or federal ties

Director Stefan Johansen told the Joint Appropriations subcommittee on the Wyoming Department of Health and Budget that the agency submitted roughly $14,100,000 in state general‑fund supplemental requests this year, with about $4,400,000 in federal funds and roughly $100,000 in other funds attached.

"We made supplemental requests, totaling approximately $14,100,000 in state general funds, 4,400,000.0 in federal funds, and about 100,000 in other funds," Johansen said. He added that because the House and Senate versions of the supplemental budget were not reconciled, "there was no supplemental budget bill that passed this year, which essentially reverted us back to the standard 2526 budget."

The department described its requests in several categories. Johansen said about $11.8 million of the general‑fund request consisted of "required requests," statutory or mandatory items the department said it was obliged to bring to the legislature. He listed these and other priority items identified in the supplemental submission:

- Medicaid reimbursement increase for maternity care: roughly $2.4 million (about half state funds, half federal) intended to raise some Medicaid payments to approximately 105% of Medicare to sustain hospital‑based OB/maternity services in rural communities.

- Behavioral health Medicaid rate rebasing: roughly $1.6 million (half state, half federal) to rebase behavioral health reimbursement after a study indicating rates had slipped behind cost.

- Additional eligibility staff for long‑term…