Healthcare

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 230: Generally revise Medicaid laws

HB 230 proposed to revise Montana's Medicaid laws, directly affecting current and prospective Medicaid clients. The bill aimed to eliminate work requirements and premiums, while establishing 12-month continuous eligibility for certain populations like parents and adults in the expansion program. It also sought to improve customer service by streamlining application processes, enhancing digital communications, and providing a phone hotline. Additionally, the bill intended to establish a Medicaid Client Advisory Board to advise the Department of Public Health and Human Services and repeal the termination date of the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership Act.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates work requirements/premiums, establishes 12-month eligibility, and streamlines access - directly expanding Medicaid coverage and improving patient access per healthcare support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Public Health

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signed · Montana · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 241: Adopt the psychology interjurisdictional compact

HB 241 enacts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT), allowing licensed psychologists to provide services across state lines. This bill enables psychologists licensed in a compact state to offer telepsychology services or temporary in-person services (up to 30 days annually) in other compact states without needing separate licenses. It establishes a framework for mutual recognition of licenses, defines requirements for cross-state practice, and creates a system for sharing licensure and disciplinary information among member states. The compact aims to increase public access to psychological services while maintaining regulatory oversight and accountability for psychologists. It directly affects licensed psychologists and their clients across participating states.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state mental health services via PSYPACT, improving patient access to psychologists without additional licensing barriers, directly supporting mental health care access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Mental Health

died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 483: Generally revise health care laws

SB 483 would revise Montana's health care laws by adding specific definitions to clarify insurance coverage processes, particularly around "step therapy" protocols. It directly affects health insurance issuers, providers, and patients by standardizing terms like "adverse determination" (denials of coverage), "clinical peer" reviews, and "step therapy" requirements. Key provisions define how insurers must review coverage requests, including requiring medical necessity justifications and establishing clearer pathways for appeals. The bill focuses on improving transparency in insurance decision-making without creating new benefits or funding. (Note: This bill died in process on May 23, 2025, and did not become law.)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStandardizes insurance definitions and mandates medical necessity justifications for coverage, protecting patients from arbitrary denials and improving access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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signed · Montana · House May 5, 2025

HB 544: Generally revise health insurance laws relating to health utilization review

HB 544 revises health insurance laws, affecting health insurance issuers, covered individuals, and state employees/retirees. It prohibits health insurance issuers from retroactively denying coverage for services that received prior approval, with exceptions for fraud or misrepresentation. The bill also allows biologic therapies to be prescribed to minors under 18, even if FDA-approved only for adults, provided the treatment is medically necessary and supported by peer-reviewed medical literature. Furthermore, it amends provisions for state insurance contracts, detailing conditions under which certain state employees, retirees, and their families, as well as legislators and judges, can continue membership in state group health plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits retroactive coverage denials and expands access to biologic therapies for minors, protecting patient rights and improving access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Substance Abuse Women's Health

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 689: Provide for pricing transparency requirements for hospitals

HB 689 aimed to increase pricing transparency for hospitals. It required hospitals to publish a comprehensive list of all their standard charges for medical items and services, including gross charges, negotiated rates with third-party payors, and discounted cash prices. This information was to be made available on hospital websites in both machine-readable and consumer-friendly formats. The bill also included provisions for reporting to state departments, prohibiting debt collection by non-compliant hospitals, and allowing for enforcement actions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to publish transparent pricing, improving patient access to cost information and aligning with consumer protection in healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 513: Increase capacity in the family education and support services program

SB 513 requires Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services to expand the Family Education and Support Services Program by July 1, 2026, to serve all qualified families applying to the program - matching the FY2016 service level. The bill mandates annual reports to the legislature detailing program benefits, how families prepare for future healthcare programs, and comparisons between served and unserved families. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and terminates June 30, 2027. This bill directly affects families applying to the program and the state agency administering it.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands family support program to prepare families for healthcare programs, with mandated reporting on healthcare preparation pathways. Subjects include Health Care Services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 417: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to obesity prevention

SB 417 would require most Montana health insurance plans to cover certain injectable medicines prescribed for glucose control or weight loss in adults diagnosed with prediabetes, gestational diabetes, or obesity. Coverage must be deemed medically necessary by a physician and requires participants to join a lifestyle management program to continue treatment. The bill applies to individual and group health insurance policies but excludes Medicare Advantage plans. It amends Montana insurance law to mandate this coverage as a standard benefit.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates insurance coverage for obesity/diabetes treatments, expanding access to prescribed medicines and requiring medically necessary care, aligning with healthcare access expansion indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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died · Montana · House Mar 1, 2025

HB 774: Generally revise laws relating to pharmacies

HB 774 would require Montana Medicaid and commercial health insurance plans to provide equal coverage for FDA-approved nonopioid pain medications compared to opioid medications. The bill prohibits insurers from disadvantaging nonopioid drugs through formulary placement (like higher cost-sharing tiers) or more restrictive prior authorization requirements than for opioids. It also mandates that healthcare providers can request exceptions to coverage restrictions for nonopioid drugs when they determine such drugs are appropriate for a patient. This law aims to ensure patients have full access to pain management options without insurance barriers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires equal coverage for nonopioid pain meds vs opioids, removing cost/access barriers and improving patient access to safer alternatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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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

Sub-Topics Mental Health Public Health

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