Healthcare

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 319: Generally revise health care laws related to doulas

This bill establishes a state licensure system for doulas, defining them as nonmedical professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. Beginning January 1, 2027, individuals wishing to practice as state-licensed doulas must obtain a license from the Department of Labor and Industry. Licensure requires paying fees, completing specific competencies, and adhering to professional conduct standards. Additionally, the bill allows the Department of Public Health and Human Services to provide Medicaid coverage for services offered by state-licensed doulas.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes licensure standards for doulas (nonmedical healthcare support), formalizing their role in pregnancy/postpartum care and improving professional standards within healthcare services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

vetoed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 881: Revise medicaid buy-in program to include children with disabilities

HB 881 proposed to revise the existing Medicaid buy-in program to include children with disabilities. This would expand eligibility for the program, allowing more children with disabilities to access Medicaid services. The bill also included an appropriation and extended rulemaking authority for the relevant department to implement these changes. It aimed to amend specific sections of Montana law concerning Medicaid administration and eligibility requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill includes specific appropriation to fund expanded Medicaid eligibility for children with disabilities, directly advancing essential public health funding under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid eligibility for children with disabilities, increasing healthcare access through new appropriations and policy changes.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

Track

vetoed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 880: Establish a stabilization fund for medicaid

HB 880 establishes the Medicaid Stabilization Reserve Account, a state special revenue fund designed to help maintain Medicaid benefits during state revenue shortfalls. The account would be primarily funded by transferring any unused state general fund appropriations for Medicaid at the end of a fiscal year. Funds from this account could only be appropriated by the legislature for state Medicaid matching funds after the budget director certifies a projected general fund deficit. This mechanism aims to mitigate expenditure reductions in the Medicaid program, directly affecting the stability of services for beneficiaries. The bill also includes an initial appropriation of $50,000 for state Medicaid matching funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates Medicaid Stabilization Reserve Account using unused general fund appropriations to maintain benefits during revenue shortfalls, protecting essential program funding through fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Medicaid Stabilization Reserve to maintain benefits during revenue shortfalls, preventing cuts to healthcare coverage and ensuring continued funding for Medicaid services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

Track

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 825: Generally revise laws related to health care proxy decisionmakers

HB 825 revises laws related to healthcare decision-makers for adult patients. It allows patients to designate a "trusted decisionmaker" to make medical choices on their behalf if they lose the ability to make their own, with healthcare providers required to document this designation. The bill establishes a legal hierarchy for selecting a decision-maker for incapacitated patients, placing the patient-designated trusted decisionmaker high on that list. This ensures a patient's chosen individual has authority to make healthcare decisions if they cannot.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables patient designation of trusted decisionmakers, prioritizing patient autonomy in medical choices, protecting rights under healthcare decision-making laws.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Montana · House May 13, 2025

HB 543: Repeal termination date on reporting and disclosure of violence against health care employees

HB 543 repeals the termination date for laws requiring the reporting and disclosure of violence against healthcare employees. Previously, these reporting requirements were set to expire on a specific date. By repealing that sunset clause, this bill makes the reporting and disclosure obligations permanent. This ensures that information about violence affecting healthcare workers will continue to be collected and shared indefinitely.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals sunset clause for violence reporting against healthcare workers, ensuring permanent safety data collection to protect staff and maintain healthcare service integrity.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRepeals sunset clause on violence reporting, ensuring ongoing workplace safety protections for healthcare workers under Labor & Employment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 740: Revise laws relating to pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, and other entities

HB 740 revises laws affecting pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and other entities involved in prescription drug dispensing and reimbursement. The bill establishes new restrictions on how PBMs can audit pharmacies and recoup funds, such as prohibiting recoupment for clerical errors without actual financial harm and banning the use of extrapolation in calculations. It also updates regulations for Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC) lists and reference pricing, requiring PBMs to ensure drugs on MAC lists are available and to frequently update and disclose pricing information to pharmacies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts PBMs from unfair recoupment (e.g., clerical errors without harm) and mandates fair MAC/reference pricing, protecting pharmacies and improving patient access to medications.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 687: Revise age of expanded Medicaid participants required to engage in community engagement activities

HB 687 revises the age range for expanded Medicaid participants who are required to engage in community engagement activities. Previously, participants aged 19 to 55 were subject to this requirement. This bill extends that upper age limit, now requiring individuals from 19 to 62 years old to participate. Affected participants must complete 80 hours per month in activities such as employment, education, work training, or community service, unless they qualify for an exemption. This change directly impacts expanded Medicaid recipients between the ages of 56 and 62.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareExtends mandatory community engagement requirements for Medicaid participants, potentially restricting access to healthcare coverage by adding new compliance barriers for 19-62-year-olds.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 56: Establish ambulance provider assessment fee program

HB 56 establishes an assessment fee program for ground ambulance providers licensed in the state. These providers will pay a uniform fee of 5.75% of their net operating revenues annually to the Department of Revenue. The revenues generated from this assessment are specifically designated to supplement Medicaid payments for ambulance services. The bill also outlines procedures for reporting, collection, auditing, and penalties for non-compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates mandatory 5.75% fee on ambulance providers to generate revenue specifically designated for Medicaid ambulance payments, directly funding public healthcare services via new state revenue.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes fee to fund ambulance services via Medicaid supplementation, directly supporting healthcare access and provider reimbursement.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

vetoed · Montana · House May 1, 2025

HB 607: Provide for the hearing aid coverage act

HB 607, known as the "Hearing Aid Coverage Act," proposes to expand health insurance coverage for hearing loss. The bill revises current law that mandates coverage only for children, extending this requirement to include individuals of all ages. It achieves this by amending sections 2-18-704 and 33-22-128 of the Montana Code Annotated, which govern mandatory provisions in insurance contracts. This change would require state insurance plans to cover treatment for hearing loss for both children and adults.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mandatory hearing aid coverage from children to all ages, requiring state insurance plans to cover hearing loss treatment for all individuals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

Track

signed · Montana · Senate Apr 18, 2025

SB 495: Eliminate the tobacco prevention advisory board

Senate Bill 495 eliminates the Tobacco Prevention Advisory Board. The bill repeals the specific section of law that established this board. It also amends existing statute to remove the board from the list of entities funded by state special revenue accounts, which are primarily used for tobacco disease prevention programs and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The direct effect is the dissolution of the advisory board, which previously provided guidance for these programs.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesDefunds tobacco prevention and CHIP programs by removing advisory board from state special revenue accounts, directly eliminating funding streams.95% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareDissolves tobacco prevention advisory board, removing it from state funding lists for tobacco disease prevention programs, directly defunding public health initiatives.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Healthcare