Montana estimates GOP Medicaid expansion bill will halve number of people covered; add 84 state jobs

Legislators got a glimpse Friday of a state estimate showing the Republican version of a bill to continue Medicaid expansion with added work requirements would result in about half the 96,000 people on the program losing coverage.A Medicaid expansion bill must move to the state Senate by April 1 to meet transmittal deadlines.Montana expanded Medicaid to those earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level four years ago and put in a sunset of this summer so lawmakers would come back and review the program.  In April, the 2019 federal poverty level will be $17,236 for an individual and $29,435 for a family of three.The estimate published Friday shows about 48,000 people would be covered under the Republican bill. The fiscal note for the Democrats' bill predicts about 100,000 would be covered under their proposal.Though half the number of people are covered, the Republican bill is estimated to cost the state only $2.2 million or so a year less than the Democrats' proposal.