Panel weighs presumptive Medicaid eligibility bill to speed home-based services for elderly

Senate Bill 72, presented to the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 3, 2025, would establish a presumptive Medicaid eligibility process for older and physically disabled Montanans so they can receive home- and community-based services more quickly while the full Medicaid determination is completed.

Sponsor testimony described the proposal as a way to allow eligible individuals to begin receiving services within days of a need arising, such as after an unexpected hospitalization, instead of waiting weeks or months for a full Medicaid determination. The bill focuses on home- and community-based long-term services, excluding institutional nursing home redeterminations, and the fiscal note estimated initial costs for the program. The sponsor cited a fiscal note that included an estimated first-year state cost (state share) and said the…