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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Expanded Medicaid Coverage Could Take Effect For Montanans Jan. 1

The Director of Montana’s Medicaid program expects the state to offer expanded Medicaid coverage at the start of the New Year. Mary Dalton told state lawmakers Monday morning that her staff is working at "breakneck speed" to get all the paperwork filed.

“We’ve asked for a November 1 approval date. Our goal with that then is to finalize everything that we need to and to start actually delivering services on January first of 2016."

An estimated 70,000 people with incomes between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level could be eligible for coverage, if the plan passed by Montana lawmakers earlier this year is approved by federal officials. Dalton says she’s optimistic that the state’s plan will pass muster.

“I'm not really that much of a Pollyanna personality. I'm positive and I work hard but I'm really not a Pollyanna about it. I think this is going to be approved.”

The state’s Medicaid expansion plan requires a waiver from federal rules because it includes some unusual elements. Participants must pay a small monthly premium in order to receive coverage and the program will be run by a private, non-governmental administrator.

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