Archive for Healthcare
The voters had it right on CHIP
Posted by:By Representative Chuck Hunter
Healthy Montana Kids, the plan to insure 30,000 Montana children, is in trouble and needs your help. Senate Republicans - notably Dave Lewis - have spent the last week dismantling the program voters approved. Children need your help to reverse their actions.
When Montanans voted on Nov. 4, 70 percent of them said yes to the Healthy Montana Kids plan. They said yes to setting aside dedicated money - about $20 million per year - that could only be used for covering more children. That $20 million will be matched by about $80 million in federal dollars when the plan is implemented as written.
Voters also said yes to insuring 30,000 more kids than are currently covered by Medicaid and CHIP. The funding provided by Healthy Montana Kids would do what the Legislature has been reluctant to do - cover more of Montana’s uninsured children. Read More→
CHIP funding battle wages on
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
Within the next week, the Legislature must settle a partisan battle over funding Healthy Montana Kids, the expansion of children’s health-insurance approved by voters last November.
Most Republicans in the Legislature want to fund a program smaller than what voters overwhelmingly approved in Initiative 155. GOP senators have amended their version into budget bills before the Legislature.
Democrats, including Gov. Brian Schweitzer, are insisting the Legislature fully fund I-155, and say the GOP plan will forego some $50 million in federal funding for health insurance, leaving 14,000 kids uncovered. Read More→
Autism mandate passes in the House
Posted by:By MIKE DENNISON
The Montana House Wednesday strongly endorsed a bill requiring health insurance polices in Montana to cover treatment for children with autism disorders, moving it one step closer to becoming state law.
“It’s not every day when this body has the privilege to create a new future for the kids of Montana,” said Rep. Kendall Van Dyk, D-Billings, the bill’s chief sponsor in the House. “But there are some issues that transcend ideology and transcend politics, and this is one of those issues.”
The House voted 77-23 for Senate Bill 234, which says as of July, health insurance policies sold in Montana would have to cover diagnosis and treatment of autism disorders for covered children up to age 18. Read More→
SB 368 - Good Samaritan Laws
Posted by:SB 368, sponsored by Senator Ron Erickson (D-Missoula) was heard Tuesday, March 10th before the House Judiciary committee. SB 368, titled “Good Samaritan Law for Retired Doctors” limits the liability on doctors, dentists and dental hygienists who provide medical services to community based health programs, without compensation. Read More→
House Appropriations takes up state budget
Posted by:By Mike Dennison, IR State Bureau
A key House committee made its initial moves Wednesday in piecing together the state budget, but left unresolved one of the biggest issues dividing Democrats and Republicans: Funding for an expanded health-insurance program for Montana children.
Afterwards, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. John Sesso, D-Butte, said he remains hopeful the funding for Healthy Montana Kids might be resolved by the time the major budget bills emerge from the committee. Read More→
"I think that it’s going to all work out, with the changes that we have agreed to. It’s not as much (spending for some programs) as I would’ve hoped, but apparently it’s more than other people wanted. As usual, we are trying to find the middle.” 
"[On term limits:] You empower the executive, you empower the lobbyists and that's not good for the system because then we lose what the citizen Legislature brings.” 