News
Affordable Care Act enrollment closes Wednesday amid premium price spikes
3+ hour, 37+ min ago (167+ words) The Affordable Care Act Marketplace saw record enrollment in Montana last year at a little more than 77,000 people. That's thanks in part to enhanced federal subsidies that help people afford monthly premiums for their health insurance. Those subsidies have expired…...
Montanans face higher costs, hard decisions as health subsidies near expiration
2+ mon, 5+ day ago (495+ words) Lesa Evers, who's 62, is logging onto her computer to shop for her health plan on the federal marketplace. "We're going to go in and update the application," she says. Evers retired from her job with the state health department nearly…...
With subsidies in jeopardy, thousands of Montanans face health insurance cost hikes
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (230+ words) The federal marketplace allows people who don't get health insurance through their employer to buy their own plan. Roughly 77,000 Montanans buy that coverage. In 2021, Congress passed subsidies that help cover premiums based on a person's income. But those subsidies will…...
Medicaid processing delays raise concerns ahead of new federal rules
4+ mon, 2+ week ago (205+ words) Federal rules say state Medicaid offices should process applications within 45 days. According to the latest data, 60% of April's Medicaid applications took longer. That's higher than usual, but most months, about 40% of Montana's Medicaid applications miss the federal deadline. Heather O'Loughlin…...
Health insurance navigator funding slashed as big changes loom
5+ mon, 1+ day ago (193+ words) We are experiencing power outages and our broadcast may be off the air intermittently as we work to fully restore service. The Trump administration is cutting funding for insurance navigator programs by 90% at the end of August. Cover Montana used…...
Montanans could pay 75% more for health insurance next year
5+ mon, 5+ day ago (322+ words) Montanans with marketplace health insurance plans will pay significantly more starting next year. That's because premiums are likely to spike just as federal benefits that help pay those bills expire. Insurance companies ask the federal government to approve premium rate…...