Healthcare (Medicaid)

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

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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

Sub-Topics Medicaid

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 522: Generally revise medicaid laws to reduce or eliminate waiting lists

SB 522 aimed to reduce or eliminate waiting lists for Medicaid-covered services in Montana by requiring the Department of Health to implement funding changes, apply for federal waivers, and prioritize services like senior care, behavioral health, and dental care. It mandated annual reports tracking waiting list sizes, ongoing efforts to address them, and projected elimination dates. The bill died in committee on May 23, 2025, without becoming law. It did not alter existing Medicaid eligibility but focused on administrative and programmatic solutions to service access delays.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly aims to reduce Medicaid waiting lists through funding changes, prioritizes health services (behavioral health, dental, senior care), and mandates annual progress reports to improve access - directly advancing healthcare access and ...95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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died · Montana · Legislature May 20, 2025

LC 3737: Generally revising laws related to dental services provided under the Montana medicaid program

This bill (LC 3737) revises Montana Medicaid dental service rules by eliminating an annual payment cap for standard adult dental care. It requires a minimum 10% annual increase in provider payment rates for adult dental services during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The law directly affects Medicaid dental providers and adult Medicaid recipients in Montana by ensuring higher, predictable payments for covered services. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates 10% annual payment increases for Medicaid dental providers, directly increasing state spending on public health services per fiscal requirements.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates annual payment cap and mandates 10% annual rate increases for Medicaid dental providers, directly improving access and funding for covered dental services under Montana Medicaid.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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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

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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vetoed · Montana · House Jul 15, 2025

HB 585: Revise provider rate laws for physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for therapists with inflation-linked annual adjustments, ensuring stable provider payments and maintaining access to services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 500: Generally revise laws related to chiropractic practitioners

HB 500 aimed to revise laws related to chiropractic practitioners in Montana. The bill sought to establish a new license endorsement, allowing chiropractors who obtain it to prescribe certain noncontrolled, nonscheduled drugs like muscle relaxants and NSAIDs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The Board of Chiropractors would have been responsible for setting the educational qualifications and protocols for this prescriptive authority. Additionally, the bill proposed that chiropractic services be included as part of the Montana Medicaid program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands chiropractors' prescriptive authority for noncontrolled drugs, improving patient access to treatment options within healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 187: Generally revise medicaid laws

SB 187 would revise Montana's Medicaid program by eliminating the termination date for the Medicaid expansion (making it permanent) and adding new coverage for auxiliary personnel services (like community health integration and illness navigation) and traditional healing services (provided by tribal or Indian health facilities). These changes would directly affect Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly in rural and tribal communities, by expanding access to these specific services. The bill also amends existing Medicaid service provisions and repeals outdated sections of the law to implement these updates.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates Medicaid expansion termination date, adds coverage for community health integration and traditional healing services, expanding access for rural/tribal communities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 25, 2025

LC 3799: Establish a stabilization fund for medicaid

This bill (LC 3799) establishes a Medicaid Stabilization Reserve Account within Montana's state special revenue fund. It requires transferring unused state Medicaid funding at year-end to this reserve, which can only be used to maintain Medicaid matching funds during projected general fund budget shortfalls (as defined by 17-7-140). The account cannot fund other state programs, and any interest earned must be reinvested. This directly affects Montana's Medicaid program and state budget management by creating a dedicated buffer to prevent cuts to Medicaid services during revenue shortfalls, effective for fiscal year 2025 and beyond.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates Medicaid Stabilization Reserve to maintain funding during budget shortfalls, promoting fiscal responsibility in state budget management without altering tax structure.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Medicaid Stabilization Reserve to maintain funding during budget shortfalls, preventing defunding of healthcare program per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Medicaid

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 27, 2025

LC 451: Revise medicaid laws related to direct primary care

This bill (LC 451) would revise Montana Medicaid laws to allow coverage for direct primary care contracts. It directly affects Medicaid enrollees who choose direct primary care - where patients pay a flat fee directly to a doctor instead of traditional insurance. The key provision adds "direct primary care contracts" as a covered service under Medicaid, prohibits the Department from requiring enrollees to participate in case management if they have such a contract, and defines the term. This change would expand access to an alternative primary care model for Montana Medicaid beneficiaries.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds direct primary care as Medicaid-covered service, expanding access options for enrollees without restricting benefits or coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medical Licensing Primary Care

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