$1.25
your homegrown newspaper December 18, 2024
Vol. 21, No. 14
Medicaid reports finds health, economic benefits for Montana By Summer Goddard Valley Journal
M
Community honorees pg. 6
Scholars program pg. 12
Sports pg. 15
ore than one in every five Montanans, including approximately two in every five children, have health care coverage under the state’s Medicaid program. The program covers costs of physical, behavioral, emergency, vision, dental and long term care health services at low or no cost to those eligible. Those eligible are: children, pregnant and postpartum women and infants, people with disabilities, seniors, and adults with low income. Without legislative action, Medicaid expansion, which expands Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 133% percent of the federal poverty level, is set to sunset at the end of June 2025. What Medicaid is, who’s covered, its statewide impact and more were outlined in a Dec. 12 webinar hosted by the Montana Healthcare Foundation. The foundation is a private nonprofit that
ENVATO PHOTO
Medicaid expansion will sunset at the end of June 2025 without further action from the Montana State Legislature.
“makes strategic investments to improve health in Montana.” The organization conducts annual Medicaid in Montana reports “so that Montanans can reach informed decisions that contribute to a healthier state.” In
2024, the group released three different reports regarding Medicaid’s impact on the state’s budget, economy and health, it’s background, and what losing Medicaid expansion could mean for the state. Data from all three w w w.va l le yj our na l.net
reports were used in the webinar presentation. Montana Healthcare Foundation CEO Dr. Aaron Wernham explained that Medicaid plays a crucial role in the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
“There are some serious policy decisions that will need to be made in the next legislative session,” he said. Manatt Health Senior Adviser Zoe Barnard also see page 2