Health care

The EPA Friday repealed standards for limiting toxic mercury, arsenic and lead that come out of power plants. The Colstrip power plant in Montana is one of the highest emitters of these cancer-causing chemicals.

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.

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 federal investigation found “systemic” problems in a Helena hospital that resulted in sexual abuse allegations against employees going undocumented for weeks or months. That’s according to new reporting from Montana Free Press on St. Peter’s Health in Helena. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy sat down with Montana Free Press reporter Mara Silvers to learn more, and spoke with St. Peter’s Health CEO Wade Johnson for the hospital’s response.

Some Laurel residents don’t like the state’s plan to build a psychiatric hospital near town. The backlash came quickly after state officials announced the site location.

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.

Montanans have until Wednesday to enroll in a federal marketplace health insurance plan. Federal subsidies have expired and many Montanans will see their premiums more than double as a result, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health research group.

Mobile crisis teams are struggling. These are the teams of mental health professionals that respond to behavioral health calls instead of police. Those programs don’t have reliable funding, and the teams that remain say they need help.

Federal officials have reduced the number of vaccines recommended for children. Some state medical groups say they will continue to follow the old guidelines. Parents will need to talk to their doctor to get the shots that are no longer recommended for all children.