Healthcare

died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 185: Provide for continuous healthy Montana kids plan eligibility for children under 6

HB 185 directs the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to implement continuous eligibility for children under six years old in the Healthy Montana Kids plan. This means eligible children would remain enrolled in the program until their sixth birthday, regardless of changes in family income or other circumstances that might otherwise make them ineligible. DPHHS is required to apply for the necessary federal waivers and state plan amendments by July 1, 2025, and implement the continuous eligibility within six months of federal approval. The bill aims to provide consistent health coverage for young children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures continuous health coverage for children under six without income-based interruptions, expanding access to healthcare services95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 929: Generally revise laws relating to chiropractic practitioners

HB 929 proposes to revise laws related to chiropractic practitioners in Montana. The bill would establish an optional license endorsement allowing chiropractors who meet specific requirements to prescribe a limited formulary of noncontrolled, nonscheduled drugs. These drugs include items like over-the-counter analgesics, prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants, intended for musculoskeletal treatment and pain. The Board of Chiropractors would be responsible for establishing the educational qualifications, application procedures, and prescribing protocols for this endorsement, for which a fee may be assessed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands chiropractor prescribing rights for musculoskeletal pain, improving patient access to non-invasive treatment options within healthcare services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 851: Create department of health services

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new department via appropriation, funding transferred health services functions (e.g., mental health, veterans care) as part of state budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates new department to manage mental health, developmental disabilities, and chemical dependency services with funding, advancing healthcare delivery95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly transfers veterans' long-term care facilities to new department and includes funding appropriation for these services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 377: Generally revise access by parent to child patient health care information

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill clarifies parental access to minor's health records while protecting minors' privacy in mental health services, supporting patient rights in healthcare.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 947: Revise insurance laws relating to continuous glucose monitors and supplies

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for CGMs, prohibits denial based on diabetes severity, and bans special deductibles - expanding access to essential diabetes care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 758: Revise health care laws relating to out-of-network services

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents balance billing for ambulance services, caps out-of-pocket costs at $100, and ensures costs count toward deductibles, strengthening patient access and financial protection in healthcare.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 50: Provide protections to parents and pregnant women with substance use disorder

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents criminal charges for drug use when seeking treatment, reducing criminalization and aligning with justice reform by diverting to healthcare instead of prosecution.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill prevents criminal charges and child welfare actions for seeking substance use treatment/prenatal care, directly protecting patient access and rights in healthcare services per summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 912: Generally revise behavioral health laws to create a secure forensic facility

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates secure forensic facility for mental health treatment in legal system, advancing rehabilitation and competency restoration within criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $60M from behavioral health fund to create facility providing mental health care/treatment for forensic patients, directly advancing mental health services under healthcare topic.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 747: Authorize certain day-care centers to adopt policy regarding certain immunization exemptions

HB 747 permits day-care centers that care for children under one year of age or those at higher risk of severe illness from communicable diseases to adopt a policy regarding whether they accept children with certain immunization exemptions. The bill requires these day-care centers to notify parents or guardians if such a policy is adopted. This allows specific day-care centers to determine their own stance on accepting children with exemptions from required immunizations, impacting both the centers and families seeking childcare.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows day-care centers to require full immunizations for high-risk children, strengthening public health measures to protect vulnerable minors.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 494: Revise tobacco settlement allocations

HB 494 proposes to revise how Montana allocates its yearly tobacco settlement proceeds, effective July 1, 2025. This bill would change the distribution percentages between two state special revenue accounts. Currently, 32% of the proceeds fund statewide tobacco disease prevention programs, and 17% goes to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). HB 494 would reverse these allocations, directing 17% to tobacco prevention and 32% to CHIP to secure federal matching funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReallocates tobacco settlement funds to increase CHIP funding via federal matching, strengthening public health program financing within state budget.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases CHIP funding from 17% to 32% to expand children's health insurance coverage, securing federal matching funds for public health program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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