HB 585 would have revised Montana's Medicaid reimbursement rates for physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists. It set a 2026 Medicaid payment rate of $39.56 per service unit and required annual rate increases tied to the medical care component of the U.S. Consumer Price Index. This directly affected these healthcare providers who bill Medicaid for services, ensuring their payments adjusted with inflation. The bill was introduced in 2025 but was vetoed by the governor and later failed to override in the legislature.
SB 72 creates a "presumptive eligibility" process for Montana Medicaid, allowing people with physical disabilities or who are elderly to immediately access home and community-based services like personal care, meal delivery, medical equipment, and emergency response systems while awaiting full Medicaid approval. It requires a screening process by trained staff (including tribal entities, hospitals, or aging agencies) to verify income, residency, and need, with applicants having 30 days to apply for ongoing Medicaid coverage. The program aims to prevent hospitalizations or institutional care by providing temporary coverage during the application period, ending after 30 days or when full eligibility is determined. The bill requires state approval from CMS before implementation and was vetoed by the governor in May 2025, with a legislative override attempt failing.
SB 394 would have expanded Montana's workers' compensation system to cover posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for eligible first responders. It defines "first responder" to include firefighters, law enforcement officers, detention center/prison staff, and emergency care providers, requiring a diagnosis per the latest DSM-5 manual that links PTSD directly to work duties. The bill amended existing laws to allow PTSD claims under workers' compensation, subject to standard procedural requirements. However, this bill was vetoed by the Governor on June 9, 2025, so it did not become law.
SB 526 establishes a grant program to fund tribal colleges in Montana developing community health aide and dental health aide training programs. The program provides up to $3 million per institution, including a $1 million startup grant and $500,000 annually for four years, to expand or create education programs qualifying graduates for federal certification. Tribal colleges receiving grants must report annually on program outcomes, including graduates, provider certifications, patient access metrics, and cost-effectiveness. The bill directly affects tribal colleges and aims to address healthcare disparities in American Indian and Alaska Native communities by increasing local provider capacity. It allocates $1.5 million from the general fund for the 2025-2027 biennium to support this initiative.
SB 475, introduced in Montana, proposes to ban vaccines containing aluminum as an ingredient for use or administration within the state. It requires vaccine manufacturers and distributors to submit implementation plans within one year, including timelines for removing aluminum-containing vaccines and distributing aluminum-free alternatives. The ban would take effect only after the health department certifies aluminum-free vaccines are available. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and was never enacted into law. It directly affects vaccine providers, manufacturers, and distributors operating in Montana.
SB 136 amends Montana's criminal code (Section 45-2-211, MCA) to state that a patient's consent to physician aid in dying is not a defense to a homicide charge against the physician. The bill defines "physician aid in dying" as a physician prescribing a lethal medication for the patient to self-administer, excluding standard comfort care or withholding life-sustaining treatment. This directly affects physicians who provide such aid, making their actions prosecutable as homicide if consent is claimed as a defense. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not impact existing practices of comfort care or end-of-life treatment under Montana law.
SB 140 would adopt Montana into the Social Work Licensure Compact, enabling social workers licensed in Montana (their "home state") to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. The bill creates a "multistate license" system, allowing licensed social workers to provide services across state lines while maintaining each state's authority to regulate practice and address disciplinary issues in the state where the client is located. This directly affects licensed social workers seeking to practice beyond Montana, particularly those serving military families or addressing workforce shortages in rural areas. The compact aims to reduce licensing barriers, improve access to social work services, and facilitate telehealth practice while preserving state-level regulatory oversight for public safety.
SB 334 would have expanded Montana Medicaid eligibility to able-bodied adults under 65 with incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, but only if they met community engagement requirements. Key provisions include mandating participation in workforce development programs (like job training in healthcare or cybersecurity) and requiring the state to seek federal waiver approval by December 2025. The bill also included measures like biannual eligibility reviews and lifetime benefit limits for this group. However, the bill died in process on May 23, 2025, after failing to advance beyond committee review.
SB 474 would have expanded school immunization exemptions in Montana to include religious exemptions and a new "personal medical informed consent" exemption requiring only a notarized statement. This new exemption would allow students to decline vaccines after consulting a healthcare provider (without needing a provider's signature), distinct from the existing medical exemption requiring a healthcare provider's written statement. The bill also amended school immunization laws (20-5-405 and 49-2-312) to prevent schools from being sued for injuries related to exempt students and to block overly burdensome exemption forms. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, and never became law.
SB 164 amends Montana's endangering the welfare of children law to prohibit specific medical treatments for children under 16. The bill bans surgical procedures, puberty blockers, and hormone therapies (like estrogen or testosterone) when used to alter a child's appearance or affirm a gender identity inconsistent with their biological sex. Violating this prohibition is classified as a felony, carrying up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, with harsher penalties if the child suffers serious injury. The law would take effect on January 1, 2026, directly affecting medical providers, caregivers, and children under 16 who might receive these treatments.
