HELENA, Mont. (NMB) – After three failed votes, the bill that would extend Montana Medicaid Expansion, which provides about 96,000 Montanans with health insurance, passed its preliminary vote in the Senate 26 to 24 Monday.
Tim Pierce with the UM Legislative News Service reports, House Bill 658 would continue the program that passed in 2015, but also add work requirements that force eligible enrollees to record 80 hours of work per month.
The bill, which would cost $800 million dollars of federal money, was supported by every Senate Democrat, as well as six Republicans. Among them was Senator Dan Salomon from Ronan. Salomon says he recognizes complaints from other members of his party, like the use of about $700 million dollars in federal funding.
“We accept federal money for highways. We accept federal money for education. You name it we do it. Why draw the line and say, ‘we are not going to have Medicaid, it’s too expensive. Here’s the line we’re going to make?'”
But, Republican Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas from Stevensville says during the debate that state money used in the expansion could fund other bills that invest in the state’s economy.
“Many, many Montanans want this legislation to pass. But with it, you can’t turn the lights on. You can’t pay your mortgage. You can’t buy a newer car. You’ve got to have the rest of the picture to do this.”
The bill passed out of the House 61 to 37 last month and will die if it does not pass its final vote in the Senate Tuesday.
