AN ACT relating to the federal rural health transformation program funds; establishing the Wyoming rural health transformation program; creating an advisory committee; creating a perpetuity fund; authorizing investments as specified; creating an expenditure account; continuously appropriating an annually required distribution; providing for governance, fiscal controls, accountability and reporting requirements; authorizing expenditures, initiatives, grants and awards; providing for deposits and appropriations; requiring rulemaking; directing studies; and providing for an effective date.
This act implements Wyoming’s rural health transformation plan under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program and creates an advisory committee. This act establishes an expenditure account and a perpetuity fund with annual required distributions and purpose-dedicated shares for ongoing health initiatives related to critical access hospital incentives, EMS regionalization, workforce education and physician post-graduate medical education. This act authorizes the investment of funds, including the investment in equities and corporate stocks, as authorized under Article 16, Section 6(a)(ii)(B) of the Wyoming Constitution. This act authorizes expenditures for time-limited initiatives for integrated primary care, technology adoption, exercise and nutrition programs, a statewide tele-specialist platform, workforce education startup costs, care coordination, centralized billing capacity, nonemergency transportation coordination and administration. This act requires reporting and fiscal controls for recipients and requires the State Budget Department, in consultation with the Department of Health, to maintain an electronic reporting portal. This act requires rulemaking and directs the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee to study specified topics. This act appropriates federal funds received for deposit into the perpetuity fund and for the time-limited initiatives. Comments: Creates a major program; Requires legislative appointments.