Rep. Marti Halverson - September 2016  Medicaid Expansion is Not Good for Wyoming Citizens. In 1965, Medicaid was designed to help poor pregnant women and their small children, the impoverished elderly and the disabled – the truly needed among us. (1) Under original Medicaid, Wyoming pays 50% and the federal government pays 50%. Under the gove...

by Charles Katebi Testimony before the Wyoming Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee, August 25, 2016 My name is Charlie Katebi. I'm a policy analyst with the Wyoming Liberty Group. I'd like to thank the Department of Health for researching and bringing greater attention to Wyoming's lack of healthcare transparency, and why we need greater c...

Charlie Katebi and Glenn Woods discuss the debate over Medicaid expansion in Wyoming and why it threatens the health of vulnerable and low income patients. 

by Charles Katebi There's no question that Wyoming needs reforms that make healthcare more affordable, accessible, and responsive to the needs of patients. Expanding Medicaid under Obamacare is not one of them. Instead, the program crowds out private insurance, underpays doctors, and delivers terrible outcomes to patients. For starters, Medicaid ex...

Charlie Katebi and KGAB's Gary Freeman discuss Governor Matt Mead's budget cuts and how the state's fiscal crisis exposes Medicaid's empty promises to patients. 

by Charles Katebi Liberals frequently claim that Medicaid expands healthcare options to the less fortunate. But without major reforms, Medicaid will become a major barrier for patients seeking care. Medicaid's looming threat to patients stems from its wasteful reimbursement regime. The program pays most doctors, hospitals, and clinics on a fee-for-...

by Charles Katebi Wyoming originally opted into Medicaid to help low-income individuals access medical care. But unless this entitlement undergoes systemic reforms, patients will find it harder than ever to get healthcare. At Wyoming's Joint Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee meeting in Casper, the Department of Health announced it will c...

by Stephen Klein In the Fall of 2013, I attended a presentation from the Cheyenne Police Department on marijuana enforcement in the city after Colorado's enactment of its recreational marijuana law the previous year. Chief Brian Kozak was matter-of-fact, and was not there to advocate but to simply update the audience. This was not, however, the pos...

by Charles Katebi In civics 101, we learn how government works. Voters elect legislators, legislators pass bills, and bills become law. This side of government is transparent and accountable. But there is another side of government that is far less accountable. Once a bill becomes law, it's up to an agency to enforce it. Sometimes they effectively ...

Charlie Katebi and John Birbari on KVOW discuss why healthcare in Wyoming is so expensive and how to make it more affordable.