Pony Express rides again

Group reenacts famous historic mail route on horseback

By Jordan Achs

Today, thanks to delivery services like Amazon, people expect their mail within two days. There was a time, however, where mail traveling from east to west coasts took months.

The Pony Express started in 1860 as a way to improve mail service between Missouri and California, a feat that took more than 30 days at the time. The thought was riders could complete this route in a mere 10 days thanks to light loads and fresh horses ready to go every 10-15 miles.

Today, volunteers with the National Pony Express Association gather annually to ride the historic route within the 10 days, remembering the Pony Express and its impact on the country.

According to a Cowboy State Daily article about this year’s ride, about 600 riders participated in this year’s re-ride.

“Each rider takes a short leg, between 1 and 20 miles, depending on terrain, rider ability and trail accessibility, at an average speed of 10 mph.” the article explains.

About 500 miles of the Pony Express route cross through Wyoming; Forty-two Pony Express stations extended west from the Cold Springs station near Torrington, going up to Casper and back down to Bear River Station near Evanston. According to wyohistory.org, no original structures from the stations remain, but most sites are marked by a monument or post placed by the National Pony Express Association. Some are even accessible via car.

According to a recent article on wyohistory.org, Wyoming’s harsh winters are partly to blame for the Pony Express not mak- ing it longer than 19 months. The route crossed over the Continental Divide at South Pass and there wasn’t enough mule traffic to pack down the deep snow. Horses were slowed significantly, delaying the mail delivery to 15 days or even longer.

The Pony Express survived until the Transcontinental Telegraph Line was completed in October 1861.

Buffalo Bill Cody claimed to be a Pony Express Rider and told tall tales of the experience during his Wild West show, although wyohistory.org debunks his participation as a myth. The Pony Express also likely helped birth the US Postal Service.

While the winter posed problems for the riders back then, the group continuing the tradition every summer in present day has its own unique challenges. Now the state has more developments, roads, private land and other potential hazards. The NPEA works with nearly every Wyoming Department of Transportation district to obtain Special Event Permits for the annual re-ride, which help protect the group by ensuring they have proper traffic control and are aware of potential challenges like construction zones.

Other groups who obtain Special Event Permits include towns conducting street festivals or parades, long-distance bike or running races for charity, and other community events along state highways.

Special event permits are issued at the District level, more information is on WYDOT’s website: https://www.dot.state.wy.us/ home/permits.html

Don’t fall into the cracks created by Medicaid changes

By Caleb Michael Smith, Enroll Wyoming marketing director

Free assistance available to help people re-enroll, find alternative coverage

Changes are coming to Wyoming Medicaid that will impact families enrolled in the public health insurance program, the health care providers that serve them, and the community at large. Eligibility requirements have been revised and extra steps will be required to remain in compliance. To make sure families don’t lose life-saving coverage, the nonprofit Enroll Wyoming is raising awareness about the new rules and free assistance available to find affordable health insurance.

Medicaid provides health coverage to 83.1 million Americans, or more than 20 percent of the population, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. In Wyoming, there were more than 83,000 people receiving health insurance through Medicaid at the start of 2023. Health coverage helps people fulfill needs that might not otherwise be met. It plays a vital but also complicated role. After all, it’s difficult to keep up with expectations, especially when the rules are regularly rewritten.

In 2020, eligibility checks were paused. Those who enrolled in Medicaid retained their coverage – no questions asked. The goal was to increase peace of mind and productivity when the time spent reapplying and waiting for a determination could be redirected toward other needs. Earlier this spring, Wyoming Medicaid ended that policy and restarted the annual reviews. The process will stretch into 2024 as 1 in 10 Wyomingites will be evaluated.

To make reviews go smoothly, enrollees should update their contact information by calling 855-294-2127 or visiting www.wesystem.wyo.gov. They should then watch for print, email or text updates on their status. Eligible families could lose their coverage if they cannot be reached or do not respond to inquiries.

A ripple effect occurs when people struggle without health insurance:

• A family’s health declines when it cannot afford preventative check-ups, ongoing treatment or prescriptions, or unexpected care in the case of emergencies. This can impair or even end lives.

• Health care providers lose business when customers can no longer afford their services. Diminishing customers and profits can cause practitioners to leave communities.

• Local governments lose revenue when spending drops, business declines, and fewer laborers are healthy enough to work. Individual conditions may grow more severe and require more expensive, emergency care that may have to be written off by hospitals. This leaves less money for community safety or quality-of-life improvements.

Fortunately, free help is available to help people find health coverage. The skilled team members of Enroll Wyoming provide free information so people can explore their options. We can help families re-enroll in Medicaid or find alternative coverage if they no longer qualify. Those who lose Medicaid benefits qualify for special enrollment in the health insurance marketplace that was created to make policies more affordable. Four out of five applicants qualify for insurance that costs less than $50 a month.

Anyone can connect with Enroll Wyoming for free by calling 211 or visiting enrollwyo.org. Navigators around the state can guide people through the complicated world of health care and identify options that best suit their preferences. We offer an independent eye as a grant-funded nonprofit that doesn’t have sales incentives or quotas.

National surveys have found a lot of Medicaid users do not know about the latest program changes. If you or someone you know relies on Medicaid, please spread the word that they need to make sure their contact information is valid and they have a free resource to turn to if they need more assistance to find health insurance. Enroll Wyoming is here to help.

Caleb Michael Smith is the marketing director of the nonprofit Enroll Wyoming. He has spent more than 17 years in Wyoming highlighting community resources and telling local stories.