Report Estimates New Costs of Medicaid Expansion in Montana

HELENA — Montana would have to shell out an extra $59 million over two years to keep its Medicaid expansion program running, but the state is expected to collect enough revenue to more than cover the additional costs, legislative analysts said Monday.

Legislative Fiscal Division staff members presented a new report to lawmakers that analyzes Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock’s 2020-2021 budget proposal, which includes a plan to continue the Medicaid expansion program that covers 95,000 adults.The program is scheduled to end next July after four years of existence unless the Republican-led state Legislature renews it. The decision of whether to keep the program created by former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act is expected to be one of the top issues of the session that begins next month.

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