Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Author's posts

Unsheltered People Are Losing Medicaid in Redetermination Mix-Ups

Some of the nearly 130,000 Montanans who have lost Medicaid coverage as the state reevaluates eligibility are homeless. That’s in part because Montana kicked more than 80,000 people off the program for technical reasons rather than because of income ineligibility. For unhoused people who were disenrolled, getting back on Medicaid can be extraordinarily difficult.

Why homeless people are losing health coverage in Medicaid mix-ups

Nearly 130,000 Montanans lost Medicaid coverage during recent eligibility reviews. People who are homeless are more likely to have chronic health issues and particularly vulnerable to losing coverage.

Unhoused people kicked off Medicaid in Montana

States checking Medicaid eligibility have accidentally dropped coverage for people who do qualify. For homeless individuals in Montana, losing that coverage is dangerous and much harder to fix.

It’s Getting Harder to Find Long-Term Residential Behavioral Health Treatment for Kids

Intermountain Residential in Montana is one of the only facilities in the United States that offer long-term residential behavioral treatment for kids as young as four. Now, administrators say they’re not sure how long it can keep its doors open.

Storing Guns Away From Home Could Reduce Suicides, but Legal Hurdles Loom

Safe storage maps show gun owners where to put their firearms for safekeeping if they experience a mental health crisis. The idea has support among some gun enthusiasts, but legal obstacles threaten wider adoption.