Health care

It’s fall, which means it’s time to start thinking about getting your flu shot. There are no reported cases in Montana just yet, but the season is starting early in the Northwest.

State seeks public comment on proposed data center well in Yellowstone County; Herbicide treatment flights in progress near Dillon; Emergency drought assistance available to ag producers in 16 Montana counties. Federal grants give Montana ambulance services a $9 million boost

State workers will pay more for health care starting next year. State officials say that’s necessary because the cost of the state health plan was higher than expected. The state employees union struck a deal with the state to mitigate some of the price hikes for workers.

In most states, people with Medicaid coverage will have to prove they're working, volunteering or studying, starting Jan. 1. But Montana is starting that early, and it's sowing confusion and anxiety.

State employees will see big changes to their health care coverage next year. That includes increases to monthly premiums, deductibles and what workers pay per visit to the doctor’s office. The state needs to come up with roughly $70 million to cover state workers’ health care through next year.

Flathead County has warned of measles exposure in several public places. According to The Flathead City-County Health Department, a person with measles visited spots in the county while infectious earlier this month. Measles is very contagious and can spread through the air, even without direct contact with the inflected person.

Gov. Greg Gianforte Tuesday announced the director of the state health department is leaving for a job in the private sector. Charlie Brereton has led the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services for about four years.

State officials confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, in a small, commercial flock of Ravalli County chickens Thursday; Glacier National Park officials Thursday announced that Tularemia was detected in a beaver.

When kids in Montana experience a mental health crisis, it can be hard to find a facility that can help them. That’s because many facilities that offered crisis care for kids have closed. A new youth home opening in Missoula may help fill that gap.

State health officials last week told lawmakers the rollout of work requirements for people on Medicaid is going well. Montana soft-launched Medicaid work requirements July 1, months ahead of the federal deadline to do so.