Healthcare

The Expanding Physician Access Act allows Wyoming's Board of Medicine to issue provisional medical licenses to internationally trained physicians who meet specific criteria. To qualify, these physicians must have a job offer from a Wyoming health care provider (like a hospital or clinic), hold a current license in their home country for the past five years, complete at least seven years of practice (or 12 years without residency), pass U.S. medical exams and English fluency tests, and have valid U.S. work authorization. The provisional license is tied to employment: if a physician loses their job, the license is suspended until they find new employment, and revoked after six months without a position. A supervising physician - fully licensed in Wyoming with specific qualifications - must be approved to oversee the internationally trained physician.

HB 115 requires all Wyoming school districts (including charter schools) to create and implement cardiac emergency response plans for general school settings and separate plans for athletic events. Key provisions mandate that schools place and maintain AEDs in unlocked, accessible locations (within 3 minutes), train staff in CPR and AED use per American Heart Association standards, and rehearse athletic venue protocols annually. The bill allocates $50,000 for reimbursement of implementation costs during the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years, with priority for districts serving higher percentages of students eligible for free meals. It applies directly to school staff, students, and emergency medical providers by standardizing cardiac emergency protocols across all school properties and athletic events.

HB 179, the Hospital Price Transparency Act, requires Wyoming hospitals to publicly list prices for medical services and items on their websites. Specifically, hospitals must post all standard charges in a machine-readable format and provide a readable list of prices for common "shoppable services" (like scheduled procedures) that patients can compare before receiving care. The law applies to all licensed Wyoming hospitals and aims to help patients understand costs for services such as room fees, procedures, and prescription drugs. The Wyoming Department of Health will monitor compliance and enforce penalties for noncompliance, including prohibiting hospitals from collecting debts when transparency rules are violated.

HB 63 increases Medicaid reimbursement for skilled nursing homes in Wyoming by 5% for services provided between July 2026 and June 2028. This directly affects nursing homes participating in Wyoming’s Medicaid program, which will receive higher payments for care provided during this period. The bill allocates $4.7 million in state funds and $4.7 million in federal funds to cover the increased reimbursement, with unspent funds reverting to the general fund by June 2028. The Department of Health must report on costs and recommend future adjustments by October 2027, and will develop necessary implementing rules.

This bill requires Wyoming public school districts to provide age-appropriate, evidence-based suicide prevention education to all students. It mandates that schools use programs consistent with existing state materials and training standards outlined in related statutes. The requirement applies to all K-12 public schools and takes effect on July 1, 2026. The legislation directly affects students and school districts by establishing a new mandatory educational component focused on suicide prevention.

HB 21 directs that 10% of monthly online sports wagering revenue be paid to the state commission. The first $300,000 of this revenue annually funds county health programs addressing gambling addiction, while half of the remaining funds go to Wyoming's outdoor recreation and tourism trust fund and the other half to the state general fund. The bill affects sports wagering operators (who pay the fee) and directly provides funding for public health services and outdoor recreation infrastructure. It takes effect on July 1, 2026.