Signed by Governor Steve Bullock

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that expands health care coverage for low-income individuals.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes an individual to be eligible for health care coverage under the HELP Act if he or she is under 65 years old, is not pregnant, and has an income that does not exceed 138 percent of the poverty line (Secs. 4 & 7).

• Requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services to contract at least 1 third-party administrator to assist in the delivery of health care services (Sec. 5).

• Requires a HELP Act participant to pay an annual premium equal to 2% of the participant’s income (Sec. 7).

• Requires a program participant to make co-payments for certain health care services, except in the following circumstances (Sec. 6):
• The participant is seeking preventive health care services;
• The participant is seeking generic pharmaceutical drugs;
• The participant is seeking immunizations; or
• The participant is seeking medically necessary health screenings ordered by a health care provider.

• Establishes an oversight committee on the HELP Act made up of the following individuals (Sec. 11):
• 2 senators from different parties;
• 2 representatives from different parties; and
• 5 individuals appointed by the governor.

• Specifies that this bill terminates on June 30, 2019 (Sec. 28).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands health care coverage for low-income individuals.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes an individual to be eligible for health care coverage under the HELP Act if he or she is under 65 years old, is not pregnant, and has an income that does not exceed 138 percent of the poverty line (Secs. 4 & 7).

• Requires the Department of Public Health and Human Services to contract at least 1 third-party administrator to assist in the delivery of health care services (Sec. 5).

• Requires a HELP Act participant to pay an annual premium equal to 2% of the participant’s income (Sec. 7).

• Requires a program participant to make co-payments for certain health care services, except in the following circumstances (Sec. 6):
• The participant is seeking preventive health care services;
• The participant is seeking generic pharmaceutical drugs;
• The participant is seeking immunizations; or
• The participant is seeking medically necessary health screenings ordered by a health care provider.

• Establishes an oversight committee on the HELP Act made up of the following individuals (Sec. 11):
• 2 senators from different parties;
• 2 representatives from different parties; and
• 5 individuals appointed by the governor.

• Specifies that this bill terminates on June 30, 2019 (Sec. 28).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands health care coverage for low-income individuals.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act to provide health care coverage for low-income individuals (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes an individual to be eligible for health care coverage under the HELP Act if he or she is under 65 years old, is not pregnant, and has an income that does not exceed 138 percent of the poverty line (Secs. 4 & 7).

• Requires a HELP Act participant to pay an annual premium equal to 2% of the participant’s income (Sec. 7).

• Requires a program participant to make co-payments for certain health care services, except in the following circumstances (Sec. 6):
• The participant is seeking preventive health care services;
• The participant is seeking generic pharmaceutical drugs;
• The participant is seeking immunizations; or
• The participant is seeking medically necessary health screenings ordered by a health care provider.

Full Bill Text