HELENA — Gov. Steve Bullock has signed a bill to continue Montana’s Medicaid expansion program for another six years, as long as federal funding continues.
He was joined at Thursday’s signing ceremony by bill sponsor Republican Rep. Ed Buttrey and Democratic Rep. Mary Caferro, who sponsored a separate bill that did not pass.
The program provides health insurance to about 95,000 low-income adults.
Buttrey’s bill adds work requirements, strengthens an asset test and increases premiums for people who stay on the program for more than two years.
Bullock on Thursday also vetoed a bill that sought to give regulatory backing to insurance companies so they could negotiate better contracts with pharmacy benefit managers for policies sold through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Bullock argued the legislation could lead to higher costs.