GREAT FALLS — CBS News reports the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the signature piece of legislation of President Donald Trump's second term, approving a massive bill that includes trillions of dollars in tax and spending cuts while ramping up funding for defense and implementing the administration's immigration agenda. The Senate passed the legislation, dubbed the "big, beautiful bill," earlier this week.
President Trump plans to sign the bill at a ceremony at the White House on Friday, coinciding with the July 4 holiday.
CEO of Alluvion Health Bill Preston is keeping a close eye on the potential Medicaid cuts included in the bill.
Preston said, “The scariest thing is, you know, we realize the impacts are going to be substantial."
This comes from a study by the Montana Healthcare Foundation, that said that Montana Medicaid funds could be affected 21-25 percent.
Preston said, “On a percentage basis, we will be the biggest impacted state in the country for Medicaid. Of receiving Medicaid funds.”
Also, healthcare coverage could drop in the state.
Preston said, “Actually, by 2028, we believe that probably somewhere around 31,000 is the current projection of Montanans will no longer have health care coverage”
Preston has been preparing since the new year and knows the damage it could wreck on Alluvion.
Preston said, “this bill could set FQs and community health centers back, 13 or 14 years back to 2013.”
In Helena, the Montana Hospital Association is also preparing for the bill to pass, but they are feeling slightly more optimistic.
Vice President of Communications for the MHA Katy Mack said, “Here in Montana, we think that our state will fare better than a variety of other states just based on how our state has designed its Medicaid program.”
Mack says that Montana Medicaid is doing well spending within its means.
Mack said, “I would say that, we are relieved that this bill doesn't seem to present any immediate impacts to our state Montana Medicaid program, and to many of the rural health care providers that depend on it. However, there are a lot of, the devil’s in the details.”
Those details are unknown but may include making it more difficult for Montanans to sign up for Medicaid. The MHA says they will continue fighting for Montanans to receive the coverage they deserve.
Mack said, “we are continuing to advocate for the implementation in a way that doesn't kick off deserving and qualified Montanans from their care.”
MHA also said they are happy to see the rollbacks on staffing requirements in the bill.
Mack said, “These staffing requirements would have been impossible for Montana's nursing homes to meet, because we simply don't have the workforce.”
As of now, it’s a waiting game to see just how Montanans will be affected.
Mack said, “I think it's important to note that, if we were to suffer any significant reductions in Medicaid coverage in our state, that would have impacts for all of us.
