Why Medicaid Expansion Matters to Montanans 50+

Right now, all across Montana, 81,000 Montanans are holding their breath, wondering if the program that helps keep them healthy will continue to be around for them. That program is the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act, which has been improving the lives of our families, friends, and neighbors since 2015. The HELP Act is important to many people, but especially to those 18,000 hardworking Montanans age 50-64 with low income. Why? Because without it these folks may lack health insurance and be ineligible for coverage through Medicaid, and they are at greater risk than younger people for having health care needs. Prior to its creation, individuals without health insurance who were unable to afford coverage had little to no alternative unless they had a disability, had a young child, or were age 65 and older. Older workers outside of these categories had few health care options. Access to health insurance is critical, especially for older workers. People without health insurance tend to delay care, which can lead to late diagnoses, poor outcomes, and more expensive treatment. People in their 50s and 60s are more likely than those who are younger to have a chronic health condition in need of management. The lack of health insurance can make it harder for them to stay in the workforce, support themselves and their families, and contribute to their communities and Montana’s economy. The ongoing positive impact of Medicaid expansion is profound and is felt by far more than the individuals it directly serves. It has created very significant cost savings for the state by keeping people healthy and by reducing the amount of uncompensated care that hospitals provide to people who are uninsured. Additionally, it is important to mention that 90% of Montanans aged 50 and older want to age in place in their own homes and communities, rather than in costly long-term care facilities. Medicaid expansion helps them do just that. And yet, every few years the HELP Act is subject to reauthorization, causing instability across the state’s economy as well as anxiety for its enrollees. It’s time to change that. Presently, in Helena, the Montana State Legislature is considering HB 245 which would permanently renew the Medicaid expansion program. Doing so would be a win/win for Montana across the board. It would ensure access to health care for hard working Montanans; it would provide widespread stability for key health care stakeholders, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the small rural hospitals that we know are the backbone of health care services in so much of Montana; and it would help small businesses retain valuable employees who rely on the program for their health care coverage. On behalf of our 134,000 members across the state, AARP Montana urges the legislature to vote in favor of HB 245. For the health of our families, friends and neighbors, and for the stability it will contribute to Montana’s economy, it’s time to renew the HELP Act for good. AARP Montana’s Government Relations Director Kristin Page-Nei is a life-long Montanan. Growing up and raising her kids in Western Montana, she now lives in Helena.

Why Medicaid Expansion Matters to Montanans 50+

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