Bills that would continue or end the state’s Medicaid expansion program are moving through the Legislature.
Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board member Stacey Summers has been focused on expanding tribal health offerings.
“For instance, we have optometry, audiology, dental," said Summers.
In recent years, the tribes have also added physical therapy and mental health services at the local addiction treatment center.
All of this wouldn’t be possible without Medicaid expansion. A little more than a third of Fort Peck tribal members are enrolled in the program, and it’s brought in nearly an additional $25 million over the past two fiscal years to the tribal health system.
Summers says this growing health system helps people get care in the community rather than driving hundreds of miles to Billings. But that could change if state lawmakers decide not to renew Medicaid expansion.
“It’d be devastating. We would lose all these services," Summers said.
Aaron Wernham with the Montana Healthcare Foundation says it’s not just services at risk. Many tribal members would no longer have coverage.
“The uninsured rate dropped from over 40% to about 20% of American Indian adults after Medicaid expansion. That’s a lot more people with coverage," said Wernham
He says the uninsured rate among Indigenous Montanans would likely spike again. He says those people would have to rely on the Indian Health Service. Wernham says the agency is woefully underfunded and is considered an emergency backstop.
Wernham says that means many would simply go without care.
