HELENA — A Senate panel is considering a new proposal to expand Medicaid to about 70,000 low-income Montanans that includes a focus on personal responsibility and reducing the number of people in poverty.
Sen. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, presented House Bill 405 in the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee on Friday.
The Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act would accept federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility to low-income people. Under the measure, adults making up to $16,242 a year and a family of four earning up to $33,465 would become eligible for Medicaid health insurance.
Unlike the bill supported by the governor that died earlier this month, the measure touted as a compromise would require those who enroll to pay monthly premiums and co-payments base on income. Enrollees also would be asked to participate in a workplace-assessment survey through the state Department of Labor for the creation of a job-placement plan that could include training.
“The Montana HELP Act provides access to health care, and every user pays their share,” Buttrey said. “Nobody gets a free ride. There are no exceptions no matter what you hear.”
A crowd of supporters — including representative from the governor’s office, state Department of Labor and Monica Lindeen, commissioner of Securities and Insurance — raised concerns about the costs of premiums, but they said expanding Medicaid would save lives and allow access to care before it reaches an emergency level.
Max Naethe of Kalispell asked lawmakers to pass the bill so he can stay alive to see his daughters graduate from high school. When Naethe began having heart problems, he lost his job installing wood stoves and fireplaces because he could no longer do the physical labor.
With the job went his health insurance and his chance to get on a list for a heart transplant. He now delivers pizzas and makes about $13,000 per year, too much to qualify for Medicaid.
“I don’t want to be reliant on anybody or anything, but I am in a situation right now where I need a little bit of help in order to have longevity,” Naethe said. “Without expansion, things look pretty bleak.”
Of the five opponents, most were concerned about the federal debt and adding to it by taking federal dollars for the expansion.
Buttrey responded that federal money for Medicaid expansion came from Montana and has been placed into a trust specifically for expansion.
“This is not contributing to our national debt,” he said. “Not using it is making a political statement that makes no sense.”
The committee took no immediate action on the bill. But Buttrey said he expects them to take action early next week.
Members of the House also rejected a package of three alternate Medicaid expansion measures on Friday that would have expanded Medicaid to far fewer people. The biggest of the three bills, House Bill 455, would have covered about 10,000 people. It died on second reading by a vote of 51-49, with 10 Republicans joining all 41 Democrats to defeat it.