Montana’s Medicaid expansion program has officially been renewed. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed legislation Thursday that will keep the existing program in place.
Medicaid expansion was due to sunset later this year if lawmakers didn’t act. This legislation removes the expiration date, making the program permanent.
Medicaid expansion provides health coverage to about 75,000 low-income Montanans. People on the program make too much money to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford their own coverage.
Gov. Gianforte included funding for Medicaid expansion in his budget. The state health department wants to rely heavily on expansion to help pay for major reforms to the mental health system.
In past sessions, renewing expansion was hotly debated, but it moved through both chambers this year with bipartisan support.
Other legislation to put more restrictions on the program or to phase it out were voted down.
