A Wild 2020 Legislative Session Comes To An End

Tom Lacock/AARP Wyoming

Dear AARP Wyoming Memebrs,

Well, that’s it. The 2020 Legislative Session ended sometime after 10 p.m. on Thursday evening and the Capitol is once again quiet. In the coming weeks, we will offer a full rundown, but for today, let’s talk about the last week in the Capitol, which was a successful one for AARP Wyoming and its members.

Three Big Things This Week

From Bills to Laws - Two bills AARP Wyoming worked hard on received the Governor’s signature this week- Our prescription drug bill aimed at lowering drug costs in Wyoming., and the Senior Health Care Special Districts bill that will allow for communities to raise local funds to support senior services like meals on wheels, home services, etc. Now, we begin to work with the Wyoming Department of Health on the prescription drug study. As a nationwide organization, we have contacts in states around the country who are further along in these types of drug importation studies than Wyoming and will share those contacts with the Department of Health. We will also work with the state to explain to local communities how they can use the Senior Health Care Special Districts, in their areas.

Communicating with Nursing Home Patients Got Easier - If you have ever wondered about whether you could use a device like an Amazon Alexia, or Google Home to talk to a loved one in a nursing home, the answer is now yes. Frankly, the answer was always yes, but HB109 clarifies that right in law and should clear up any confusion among nursing home workers who may not have previously allowed video visits in nursing homes. The bill isn’t perfect, but AARP Wyoming will be a part of the state’s rule-making around this subject to protect the rights of residents and their representatives.

Long Term Care Insurance RatesTougher To Hike - AARP Wyoming supported a bill by Sheridan Senator Dave Kinskey which forces Long Term Care Insurance companies to justify any premium rate hikes to the Wyoming Insurance Commissioner. Throughout the session, we heard nightmare stories from our members (and legislators themselves) about companies jacking their premium prices up between 50-100 percent each year. Starting next year, any companies looking to increase their premium costs will have to make the case directly to State Insurance Commissioner before they can raise their rates.

What’s Next
During the last week of each Legislative Session, Legislative Subcommittees meet to discuss what they wish to discuss between sessions. This year’s interim topics will offer ample opportunity for AARP Wyoming members to weigh in and we want the input. Among the subjects the Joint Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee will discuss include: mental health, the high cost of healthcare in Wyoming, the costs associated with aging, programs for indigent citizens, and ways to use broadband in telehealth services.

More specifically, the committee will look into things such as the National Stroke Registry, the state’s capability to deliver telehealth, addressing the lack of long term care workers in facilities such as nursing homes, whether drug importation from Canada makes sense for Wyoming, and whether it makes sense to try to pay caregivers who help their loved ones deliver services such as transportation for loved ones.

If you have opinions on any of these topics or want to take part in testimony around these issues, hit reply and tell me what you are interested in helping with.

Tom Lacock/AARP Wyoming

One More Thing
Each year we employ a number of CHeyenne-based volunteers known as our Government Relations Team (GRT). This is a group of folks who follow bills for us, and reach out to legislators they know to help us further the cause for the state’s age 50+. We couldn’t take on as much as we do without them. Their payment is a weekly lunch and the callouses resulting from sitting in uncomfortable seats in the Senate and House galleries.

Hat’s off to this year’s GRT: Carla Langseth, Carole Martin, Julie Tucker, Linda Franklin, Marjorie Gorman, and Susan Byre.
If you would like to join the GRT for the interim or the 2021 session, just respond to this email. We would love to have you.
Thanks again for a tremendous 2020 Legislative Session. As we have said before, nothing cements an AARP Wyoming position in the hearts and minds of legislators more than a call or email from someone in their district. You did that with the best of them in 2020.

Sincerely,
Sam Shumway
State Director
AARP Wyoming