Children, Families, Health, & Human Services Interim Committee

Committee to Take Up Medicaid Expansion, DD, Prescription Drug Price Studies

Committee: Children, Families, Health, & Human Services Interim Committee
Author: Sue O'Connell
Posted on January 10, 2018


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A legislative committee will delve into topics ranging from Medicaid expansion to services for people with developmental disabilities and planned reductions in state health and human services spending when it meets Jan. 18-19 in Helena.

On Jan. 18, the Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee will hear presentations on:

  • the law that expanded Montana's Medicaid program to nondisabled adults without dependent children, the costs and savings of that expansion, and the workforce training program available to expansion enrollees;
  • factors driving prescription drug costs and potential options for controlling those costs, as part of the House Joint Resolution 17;
  • how the Department of Public Health and Human Services arrived at the decision to reduce provider rates by 2.99% after spending cuts were triggered by a shortfall in state revenues;
  • recent activity related to the state's medical marijuana program;
  • the activities undertaken by the Office of the Child and Family Ombudsman;  and
  • issues that developmentally disabled youth and their families face as the youth transition from school to community services when they become adults. That topic is being covered as part of the committee's HJR 24 study of community services for developmentally disabled adults.

On Jan. 19, the committee will primarily continue work on the HJR 24 study. Several providers of community services will discuss reimbursement and workforce concerns.

Also that day, members will hear from two county attorneys and DPHHS about the implementation of legislation relating to drug-exposed children and will receive an update from the DPHHS director on the agency's plan for carrying out spending reductions ordered by the governor and enacted during the recent special legislative session.

The meeting begins at 8 a.m. on Jan. 18 in Room 102 of the Capitol in Helena and will continue at 8 a.m. on Jan. 19. It will be streamed live on the legislative website.  For more information about the meeting, including a full agenda and related materials, visit the committee's website or contact Sue O'Connell, committee staff.

Committee Website:  www.leg.mt.gov/cfhhs
Committee Staff:  soconnell@mt.gov or 406-444-3597