Healthcare

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 216: Creating the Montana physicians' workforce investment act

SB 216 creates Montana's Physicians' Workforce Investment Act, establishing a task force to administer grants for health sector facilities (like hospitals) to launch or expand residency and fellowship programs. The grant program provides up to $2 million per facility to support new graduate medical education programs, requiring applicants to submit accreditation plans, 2-year financial projections, and 5-year sustainability strategies. This directly affects Montana hospitals seeking to train medical graduates (those with medical degrees but without residency completion) and aims to address physician shortages by increasing training opportunities. The task force must report annually on grant usage, program locations, specialty fields, and accreditation status to the legislature.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $2M grants for hospitals to expand medical residency programs, directly strengthening physician workforce development and healthcare access in Montana.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 478: Require higher education institutions to pay medical costs associated with mandated COVID–19 vaccinations

SB 478 would require Montana's public universities to cover medical costs for students who develop specific vaccine-related health conditions after receiving mandated COVID-19 vaccinations. Students would need to submit proof of vaccination (to comply with school attendance rules), a medical diagnosis of one of five listed conditions (like heart inflammation or blood clotting disorders), and cost records to their institution for reimbursement. The bill covers diagnosis, treatment, and lost wages related to those conditions, as defined by the Board of Regents. The bill died in committee in May 2025 and did not become law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReimburses medical costs for vaccine-related health conditions, expanding coverage for treatment and lost wages under mandated vaccinations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 295: Restoring the right for injured worker to choose their own doctor.

SB 295 would restore Montana injured workers' right to choose their own treating physician for initial treatment and ongoing care under workers' compensation, without being forced to use a managed care organization (MCO) or preferred provider organization (PPO) without consent. The bill requires insurers to allow workers to select a physician from a designated list for initial treatment and to change physicians with the insurer's approval (with mediation available if approval is denied). It also mandates that insurers provide individual written notice (not workplace postings) before referring workers to an MCO or PPO. This directly affects injured workers seeking medical treatment for work-related injuries in Montana, giving them more control over their healthcare decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestores injured workers' right to choose treating physician, improving healthcare access without insurer-imposed MCO/PPO restrictions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores injured workers' right to choose physicians under workers' comp, protecting healthcare access and advancing labor rights without forced MCO/PPO use.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 100: Revise funding for assisted living services

SB 100 establishes new rules for Medicaid payments in Montana's assisted living facilities. It requires the state agency to adjust room and board costs annually based on recipients' income (minus a $100 personal needs allowance) and directs the shift of Medicaid-covered assisted living services from the current "Big Sky Waiver" program to the federal "Community First Choice" program by 2026. The bill mandates quarterly reporting on service usage, waitlists, and costs for both programs. It affects Medicaid-eligible seniors receiving assisted living care, ensuring payments align with income and streamlining service delivery under federal Medicaid options.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShifts Medicaid services to federal Community First Choice program, expanding access to assisted living care while requiring cost transparency and reporting on service usage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 199: Revise the Medicaid expansion program

SB 199 revises Montana's Medicaid expansion program (the Montana HELP Act) by introducing monthly "taxpayer integrity fees" for participants meeting specific asset thresholds. It requires fees based on excess real estate value ($5,000+ above homestead limits), vehicle equity ($20,000+ combined value), or agricultural land taxable value ($1,500+ annually), with a base fee of $100 plus $4 per $1,000 over limits. The bill also updates community engagement rules, mandating 80 monthly hours of work-related activities for 19-55-year-olds (with exemptions for medical conditions, caregivers, students, and others). These changes directly affect Medicaid expansion participants owning significant assets or required to meet work participation standards.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareAdds asset-based fees to Medicaid, restricting access for participants with property/vehicle equity, effectively limiting program eligibility and coverage.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 354: Prohibit purchase of soft drinks and candy with SNAP benefits

SB 354, the "Montana Healthy SNAP Act," would require Montana's Department of Public Health to request a federal waiver prohibiting the use of SNAP benefits (formerly food stamps) to buy soft drinks and candy. The bill directly affects SNAP recipients in Montana by restricting purchases of these items, which the legislature states are the most commonly bought non-nutritious items with SNAP funds. Key provisions include mandating a federal waiver request with a public health justification, an implementation plan for retailers, and annual reporting on spending patterns and health impacts. The bill defines "candy" as non-refrigerated sweet items and "soft drinks" as nonalcoholic sweetened beverages (excluding milk-based drinks or juices with >50% fruit/veg content).

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts SNAP use for unhealthy items to improve public health outcomes, aligning with public health program goals through nutrition policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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died · Montana · House May 22, 2025

HB 364: Generally revise laws related to immunizations

HB 364 proposes to update laws concerning student immunizations and exemptions in K-12 schools. It would require school governing authorities to submit written reports on student immunization and exemption data to state and local health departments. These reports must only contain deidentified or aggregate information, ensuring student privacy. The Department of Public Health and Human Services would determine the specific form and schedule for these reports.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires school immunization data reporting for public health oversight, strengthening disease prevention efforts under healthcare policy.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires deidentified health data reporting to protect student privacy, aligning with tech policy data protection standards.85% 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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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 888: Revise local board of health rules for isolation and quarantine

HB 888 revises the powers of local boards of health concerning isolation and quarantine orders. This bill prohibits local boards of health from requiring individuals to receive a vaccination or other medication as a condition for release from an isolation or quarantine order. It amends existing state law (Section 50-2-116, MCA) that outlines the duties of these boards. The legislation also includes an appropriation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits mandatory vaccinations/meds during quarantine, protecting patient autonomy in health decisions per bill's core provision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 920: Provide property tax exemption for senior care facilities and housing

HB 920 establishes a temporary property tax exemption for new senior care facilities and housing development projects. Tax-exempt non-profit organizations sponsoring these projects must first petition a local government, which determines if there is a "compelling need" for the project through a public hearing. If approved by the local government, the sponsor can then apply to the department of revenue for the exemption. This bill aims to encourage the development of various affordable housing and care options for seniors aged 55 or 62 and older.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax exemption for senior care facilities, reducing tax burden for affordable housing development.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides tax exemption for senior care facilities to encourage development of affordable housing, directly improving access to senior healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides tax exemption for senior housing development, explicitly aiming to encourage affordable housing construction through local need assessments.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare