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Missoula council urges Montana delegation to oppose proposed Medicaid and SNAP cuts; resolution passes 10-2
Summary
The council passed a resolution urging Montana's congressional delegation to oppose federal legislation that would reduce Medicaid and SNAP funding. The measure passed 10-2 after extensive public testimony from healthcare and advocacy groups and council debate about urgency and process.
The Missoula City Council on June 23 adopted a resolution urging Montana's congressional delegation to oppose federal legislation that would reduce Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, passing the measure 10-2.
Mayor Davis and councilors said they placed the resolution on the agenda as an urgent new-business item because federal action on proposed changes to Medicaid and SNAP was imminent. Councilors and public speakers described potential consequences for local health care, rural hospitals, behavioral health services and community programs that rely on Medicaid reimbursement.
The measure drew multiple public witnesses. Representatives from Catalyst Montana and other community organizations cited local service and utilization numbers to describe the potential impact on Missoula residents: outpatient mental-health and substance-use treatments, breast cancer screening, diabetes care and primary care visits tied to expanded Medicaid enrollment were highlighted in testimony. Staff from the city's mobile support team and Missoula Fire Department warned that the program's funding depends in part on Medicaid reimbursement; Assistant Chief John Petrov said roughly one-third of the mobile support team's annual operating budget is funded by Medicaid reimbursements and that cuts would reduce the unit's ability to staff seven-days-a-week services.
Several councilors voiced strong support for the resolution, arguing that cuts would threaten the city's health-care capacity and long-term care system. Others expressed concern about the late placement of the item on new business and asked for more time to vet federal details; Councilors Basica and Campbell ultimately voted against the resolution citing procedural concerns and the need for further analysis. Councilor Anderson, who moved the resolution, said immediate action was needed because the House and Senate were actively debating the legislation.
The council recorded a roll-call vote: 10 in favor, 2 opposed (Councilors Basica and Campbell). The resolution directs staff to send the council's position to the city's congressional delegation and included an ask that the city communicate the risks to local programs that depend on Medicaid funding.
