Montana Expands Medicaid With Bipartisan Support

May 4 Robert Sheen Medicaid

Montana’s Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock signed into law a Medicaid expansion bill that had been drafted by a Republican member of the state legislature.

Under the new law, Montana will accept federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $16,200 per year for an and individual and $33,460 for a family of four.

The plan will require those who enroll to pay premiums equal to 2% of their income, as well as some copays. Standard Medicaid does not include these costs.

Gov. Bullock estimated that only about 45,000 of the 75,000 eligible Montanans will enroll in the program because of the requirement for premiums and copays.

The expansion was approved by both Democratic and Republican members of the legislature, although most on the GOP side voted against it.

The state will receive an estimated $400 million to cover the cost of the expansion over the next two years.

Montana must obtain a waiver from the Obama Administration to impose these costs. A spokesman for the administration expressed “concern” about the costs for participants, but indicated it will support the measure. Several other states have been granted similar waivers for their Medicaid expansion plans.

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