Montana Healthcare Foundation

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.

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.

Bills that would continue and end the state’s Medicaid expansion program are moving through the Legislature. More than a third of Fort Peck tribal members are enrolled in the program.

Montana lawmakers will decide in the coming months what happens to health coverage for tens of thousands of people.

Nationwide, at least 103,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, a 45% increase from 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 7 of every 10 of those deaths were from synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. And overdose deaths are disproportionately affecting Native Americans

A report from the Montana Healthcare Foundation found that enrollees in Montana’s Medicaid expansion program needed less emergency care after having health coverage.

Montana is now home to a public health institute. The Montana Public Health Institute is one of about 40 such institutes across the country. The nonprofit…

Last weekend, Montana saw its biggest spike yet in COVID-19 cases. YPR reports how the disease is impacting Native Americans across the state.

Montana healthcare professionals met this week to discuss how to support a person’s physical and mental health in the midst of reduced services.Aaron…

Montana received almost $4 million in federal funds for addiction recovery and treatment this week.