Medicaid

As of July 1, Montanans on certain Medicaid programs will be required to work or volunteer 80 hours every month or file for an exemption. The state is among the first in the country to roll out work requirements under a federal law passed last year. But, officials haven't finished setting up everything they need to implement the new rules.

Gov. Greg Gianforte and state health officials have agreed to withhold a pay bump for Medicaid providers. The move will resolve a budget shortfall for the public health insurance program.

Federal officials released the final rules for Medicaid requirements this week. Hiding among the nearly 400 pages of regulations is a significant change that could make it harder for Montanans to stay on the public health insurance program.

Montana’s top law enforcement officer joined Vice President J.D. Vance for an anti-fraud roundtable this week. President Donald Trump earlier this year declared what he called a “full-scale war” on fraud in public benefit programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance.

A lawsuit argues the state’s process for redetermining Medicaid eligibility after the pandemic was intentionally devised to kick as many Montanans off the program as possible. Both state and third-party analysis found a large portion of the people unenrolled still qualified.

Some state Medicaid services are on the chopping block due to a budget shortfall. The state health department estimates it will need at least another $7 million, but isn’t saying what services might be cut.

Montana’s health department says it’s moving forward with plans to reimburse trained, non-medical maternal health professionals called “doulas” through Medicaid. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy sat down with KFF Health News reporter Katheryn Houghton to get the update.

Hundreds of miles of open road can stretch between expectant mothers and the maternity care they need in rural Montana. That’s where trained, non-medical professionals called “doulas” can help fill the gap. Montana was set to start reimbursing doulas through Medicaid this year, but federal cuts to the health program have put that plan on ice.

Montana health officials say they will roll out new Medicaid work requirements by July, months ahead of the federal deadline. There’s been worry the state is moving too fast and that Montanans who still qualify will lose coverage. The Montana Healthcare Foundation has released a list of actions it says the state can take to avoid that fate.

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.