Aaron Bolton
Northwest Montana and Statewide Health Care ReporterAaron graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism in 2015 after interning at Minnesota Public Radio. He landed his first reporting gig in Wrangell, Alaska where he enjoyed the remote Alaskan lifestyle and eventually moved back to the road system as the KBBI News Director in Homer, Alaska. He joined the MTPR team in 2019. Aaron now reports on all things in northwest Montana and statewide health care.
Have a northwest Montana or health care tip/story idea? Email me at aaron@mtpr.org or call/text at 612-799-1269
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State health officials remain committed to a plan for implementing work requirements and other major changes to Medicaid months before a federal deadline. Federal officials aren’t expected to release detailed guidance until June, raising concerns about whether the state's plan is feasible. -
Montana’s top health official pushed back on allegations that a new mental health facility will harm Laurel residents’ quality of life. Residents have questioned the facility since it was proposed late last year. -
The Laurel City Council will consider whether to pause the annexation of property into the city later this month. The proposal comes as residents and council members accuse the state of not being transparent about its plans to build a mental health facility. -
Montana lawmakers have asked the Montana Department of Military Affairs to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and financial mismanagement at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center. -
A federal court ruled Tuesday that BNSF Railway can’t be held liable for vermiculite shipments that spread asbestos contamination along its tracks in Libby. -
There are signs the presence of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, may be declining in Montana. The drug was largely responsible for the increase of opioid overdose deaths during the pandemic. Now other dangerous drugs are emerging in the state. -
Laurel residents have been raising concerns about city and state transparency in selecting Laurel for a new facility that would treat criminal defendants before they stand trial. What’s required of the government when it comes to public input isn’t straightforward.
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Federal environmental regulators Thursday repealed the bedrock finding that climate change endangers human health. It authorized the EPA to regulate planet-warming emissions as part of the Clean Air Act and to limit greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. Experts say the repeal will worsen climate change and have a negative impact on industries across the state. -
Recent data show around 4,000 fewer Montanans purchased an Affordable Care Act health plan in 2026, a roughly 5% decline. That decline is attributed to the loss of federal subsidies for monthly premiums. More people are expected to drop coverage. -
A program aiming to keep Montana’s ambulance services financially afloat is in jeopardy, as federal health officials say the state can’t implement the program. Rural ambulance providers could close if it fails.
