[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6325784,"mediaKeyId","2331133-1f03acf6f654e8905964f66ca9a062d3","parentId",2331133,"title","Committee advances reauthorization of Montana’s HELP Medicaid expansion after hours of testimony","audioSeconds",5111,"startMs",1843000,"endMs",6954000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2331133-1f03acf6f654e8905964f66ca9a062d3&start=1843&end=6954","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2331133-1f03acf6f654e8905964f66ca9a062d3/thumbnail_1843000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325784/Montana/Committee-advances-reauthorization-of-Montanas-HELP-Medicaid-expansion-after-hours-of-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325784-d27385c7ffbb3dcdac5da93a7497ea77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155991&Signature=D0XT3Tzik6gr7t1tutWE403JsrWEl-Bgw4oriEfMpR8Hwjv-pfKnaIawsNqOVdnHHJQej7rrHqJr2p5u3TmzHFDt16UMNtw2JFsWmIuF7vzWWOWK1AS4SjFYJEEoE~BCKMptcS31W6oH0-iUrcAu1xqupoVfb~JikPX~3U86Jp3G6xkpEN5kj9zm9XdSbGb3nSfP7ZbVEFI5wUAgscrTH6olk7lGyXcLa37wxZB-rzKKRmTf3mKlMelPcq8SBAbEQSe23yQd-GqiLdbwfDb5aZVjqYXfpnqel0vR-fNOhzTCPax2tE2vMGNsgZFALieR8Y9uQzwl--ub3WHMPEdT1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montana Legislature","date","2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Ed Buttrey told the Senate Public Health Committee that House Bill 245 would continue Montana’s Medicaid expansion program, known as the Health and Economic Partnership (HELP) Act, and preserve its workforce-development provisions.

The hearing drew broad support from hospitals, tribal health leaders, medical professionals, business groups and Montanans who said the program improved access to care, reduced uncompensated care for providers, and helped people get healthy and into work. Speakers included rural hospital leaders, tribal clinic CEOs, primary-care and behavioral-health providers, and individuals who credited the expansion with helping them obtain treatment and employment.

Buttrey described program outcomes from the past decade and emphasized the HELP Act’s built-in checks in state law. “This is a program that we designed over 10 years ago,” he said, noting the statute (cited in committee as MCA 53-6-1313) specifies what would happen if federal funding changed. He said the bill removes a separate statutory sunset because funding is already subject to legislative appropriation every session.

Medical witnesses stressed the program’s clinical benefits. Dr. Nicole Clark, a neurologist, described a patient who was able to finish school and obtain stable employment after receiving care under expansion. Joanna Wales, a public-health dentist, told the committee she saw monthly extractions fall from 75 to 35 a month after expansion and said the change reduced emergency dental visits.

Tribal leaders and tribal facility executives said Medicaid expansion has supported tribal health infrastructure and workforce growth. Joel Rosette, CEO of Rockaway Health Center, said Medicaid expansion helped his federally recognized tribal clinic add services, hire staff and develop apprenticeship pathways.

Fiscal questions were raised. The committee’s Medicaid financial manager, Jean Hermanson, said the governor’s budget includes a Medicaid expansion caseload request and that total funds are projected at about $1,000,000,000 per year with roughly 90% federal funding; the remaining state share is covered by a mix of general fund and dedicated fees and hospital assessments. Representative Buttrey provided a more detailed breakdown during closing, saying the annual funding picture would include roughly $900 million federal dollars plus state general fund and other dedicated sources.

After hours of testimony the committee moved to executive action. Senator Ricky moved the motion to advance HB 245; a roll-call vote followed. The committee vote was 6 yes, 5 no; recorded yea votes included Senators Kirk Carpenter, Yakovich (by proxy), Windiboy (by proxy), McGilvray, Newman and Smith; recorded nays included Senators Ricky, Glim, Fuller, Emmerich and Chair Lenz. The committee reported HB 245 out of Senate Public Health by that 6–5 margin.

Supporters urged passage to secure coverage for roughly 80,000 Montanans covered under expansion and to continue workforce and behavioral-health gains tied to the program. Opponents did not appear in the room during the hearing; committee discussion focused on fiscal mechanics and federal funding risk.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Feb 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Public Health Committee heard hours of testimony in favor of House Bill 245, the HELP Act reauthorization, with healthcare providers, tribal leaders, businesses and people with lived experience urging continuation. The committee advanced the bill in executive action by a 6–5 roll-call vote.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MT, Montana","taxId",77694,"location","Montana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325789,"Senate panel hears bills to expand child-and-family ombudsman office and preserve confidentiality",906,562000,1468000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2331133-1f03acf6f654e8905964f66ca9a062d3&start=562&end=1468","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2331133-1f03acf6f654e8905964f66ca9a062d3/thumbnail_562000.jpg","/articles/6325789/Montana/Senate-panel-hears-bills-to-expand-child-and-family-ombudsman-office-and-preserve-confidentiality","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325789-5cfc21bdfc638c78bdb0213b1275a1d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155991&Signature=fRhfJ-D1JtJ4NHDa95kZGfej1UdY7ieP2B8ABf8s1pNrm~jC47OWBOXgEQqlHv8Qd9HYms6A-2i5QgO3nJ10ahYki3y4ioACHEyhmNfgHfsG5WB8BNtRhX5EfLYaHS29S3jyUXLqggVAN~2AFJwycmCUxRWm6XP0Jxl52spPnn7LfWuJCD5pJI0hP6F9uCbR9w3GmEEpxav8wSMNuhGhG594jkH~zcGr9hlJ35mziBHFeUV1U6reImzQN0Gf3dl8AtFTJkirtB~9zf21pSED3m4kOv~WDQ7qB3kIuYnWKLsi~AAcf2SfyVPueN4lxxuw28wXVQrmJKfeFqko98I4bw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Michael Lenz on Monday introduced two companion bills to strengthen Montana’s Child and Family Ombudsman office, proposing new staff positions, investigative capacity and a statutory mechanism to preserve caller confidentiality.

The measures — carried as Senate Bill 250 to expand the office and Senate Bill 251 to protect confidentiality — drew support from the Department of Justice and family-advocacy groups who said the ombudsman provides an independent review for families involved with child and family services.

Dana Toole of the Department of Justice told the committee, “We are an independent, impartial place in the state for anyone concerned about a child protection issue to call.” She said the department has supervised the ombudsman office since the legislature dedicated it to DOJ in 2013 and that the office opens roughly 130 investigations or case reviews per year.

Casey Gaub-Bruno, the state’s Child and Family Ombudsman, described current capacity limits and a backlog. “I am the only full time employee for the entire state,” Gaub-Bruno said. “At this time, we have a queue, with roughly about 34 families waiting for us to investigate and review their cases.” She supported the expansion in SB 250, which the sponsor said would add intake/outreach specialists, associate ombudsmen and research and data analysts and would give the office clearer authority to initiate investigations when warranted.

Proponents including Matt Kuntz of NAMI Montana and Beth Brenneman of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence spoke in favor of expanding staff and investigative reach. Denise Johnson, a board member of the Montana Child Protection Alliance who testified online, urged that new positions be office-based rather than remote and include legal expertise. She also cautioned against hiring staff directly from Child and Family Services to preserve the ombudsman’s impartiality.

Committee members asked several procedural and substantive questions. Senator Kirk Carpenter asked about a repealer in the bill; Gaub-Bruno said the change would remove the office’s current evidence privilege so the ombudsman’s reports could be used in dependent-neglect court. Members also asked about training and the relationship between the ombudsman and other DOJ units; Gaub-Bruno and Toole described a firewall within the Division of Criminal Investigation and training resources available from other states’ ombudsman offices.

SB 251, the companion bill, was presented as a statutory means to maintain confidentiality for callers; DOJ representatives said 90–95% of people who call request confidentiality and the bill would strengthen current practice by putting the protection into statute. Supporters said the two bills work together and should pass in tandem.

No opponents appeared in the room, and committee staff recorded no formal committee vote on either SB 250 or SB 251 during the hearing. The sponsor closed by urging committee approval and saying the changes would make the ombudsman office “stronger” and more effective.","The Senate Public Health Committee heard companion bills from Senator Lenz to add staff and investigative authority to Montana's Child and Family Ombudsman and to codify confidentiality protections for callers. Advocates and the Department of Justice urged passage; no committee vote was recorded on either bill during the hearing.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances reauthorization of Montana’s HELP Medicaid expansion after hours of testimony

Senate panel hears bills to expand child-and-family ombudsman office and preserve confidentiality