HB 364 proposes to update laws concerning student immunizations and exemptions in K-12 schools. It would require school governing authorities to submit written reports on student immunization and exemption data to state and local health departments. These reports must only contain deidentified or aggregate information, ensuring student privacy. The Department of Public Health and Human Services would determine the specific form and schedule for these reports.
HB 851 proposes to create a new state agency called the Department of Health Services. This new department would take over specific human services functions currently managed by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. These transferred responsibilities include the administration of developmental disabilities services, mental health services (like the Montana State Hospital), chemical dependency services, and veterans' long-term care facilities. The bill also provides an appropriation for the new department, grants it rulemaking authority, and requires its contracts to include dispute resolution clauses.
HB 377 revises Montana law to ensure parents generally have access to their minor child's health care records. It requires health providers to give parents access to a child's health information within 3 days of a request (or provide contact details for the records' location), with exceptions for court-limited parental rights, child abuse investigations, or government guardianship. The bill also clarifies that minors who can consent to certain care (like mental health services) have exclusive control over information related to that specific care, removing a minor's ability to enforce privacy violations by non-HIPAA-covered providers. This primarily affects parents, minors seeking care without parental consent, and health care providers managing minors' records.
HB 947 requires most individual health insurance policies in Montana to cover continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and their supplies for people diagnosed with type I or type II diabetes when medically necessary, as prescribed by a healthcare provider. The bill prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on diabetes severity or insulin dependence, and bans special deductibles or limits specifically for CGMs - though standard deductibles may still apply. This affects diabetes patients covered by individual disability, health, or membership insurance plans (excluding Medicare supplements, hospital indemnity, or long-term care policies). The law aims to ensure consistent access to these critical blood sugar monitoring tools without discriminatory coverage barriers.
HB 758 aims to protect health benefit plan enrollees from balance billing for out-of-network ground ambulance services. It prohibits ambulance services from billing enrollees more than their in-network cost-sharing for covered transportation. The bill requires insurers to pay ambulance providers directly, caps out-of-pocket costs for these services at $100, and ensures these costs count towards deductibles. It also mandates that insurers reimburse ambulance services at established local rates or at least 400% of the Medicare rate if no contracted rate exists, and requires the state to create a public database of local ambulance rates.
HB 50 protects parents and pregnant women with drug use disorder by preventing child welfare investigations or custody actions solely based on positive drug test results. It amends Montana law to shield individuals seeking treatment or prenatal care from criminal charges related to drug use, and prohibits using drug test results alone to initiate child abuse cases or remove children from homes. The bill directly affects pregnant women, parents, healthcare providers, and child welfare systems by ensuring medical care access isn't penalized. Key provisions include immunity for seeking overdose help and requiring medical evaluation as the primary factor in child welfare decisions.
HB 912 proposes creating a new secure forensic facility in Montana, overseen by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. This facility would provide care, treatment, and security for up to 70 individuals involved in the legal system due to mental illness, including those needing competency restoration or forensic evaluations. The bill allocates $60 million from the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Fund to plan, construct, and equip this facility, while also expanding the fund's uses to support new behavioral health infrastructure.
HB 310 proposed establishing a state matching grant program to increase community shelter capacity for the homeless population. Administered by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, these grants would help local governments and eligible nonprofit organizations. The funds would specifically target services for senior citizens, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, youth transitioning from foster care, and individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Applicants would be required to provide matching funds and collaborate with existing homelessness service providers. The bill appropriated $2 million from the general fund for the program, which was set to operate from July 2025 to June 2027.
HB 199 proposed to modify the composition of the Montana State Board of Medical Examiners. The bill aimed to reduce the number of doctor of medicine members on the board from five to four. Concurrently, it sought to increase the number of physician assistant members from one to two. This adjustment would directly affect the representation of these medical professionals on the 12-member board.
HB 385 proposed establishing the School Mental Health Promotion Pilot Program, administered by the Office of Public Instruction. This program would have provided grants to Montana school districts to implement innovative, student-led, and locally determined initiatives aimed at improving student mental health. Districts applying for grants would have needed to demonstrate specific needs, broad community support in their application development, and plans for mental health promotion activities and program evaluation. The bill proposed annual grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for a two-year period, with $250,000 appropriated annually from the general fund. The program was set to terminate on June 30, 2029.
