Protesters urge Sen. Daines of Montana to vote against Senate healthcare bill
HELENA — About 50 people gathered outside of Sen. Steve Daines’ Helena office on Wednesday afternoon to urge him to vote no on the Senate healthcare bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
The gathering happened several hours before a tele town hall on Wednesday night, but people said they were frustrated with that process. Alex Street, with Indivisible Helena, said he’s encouraging people to still be a part of the town hall, but said they are often muted after asking a question. Instead of being able to clarify or press Daines on an issue, he’s allowed to continue with his talking points, Street said.
“We’ve been a little frustrated with that,” he said. “But it kind of suits him.”
To supplement calling his offices each day and being part of the town hall, citizens wrote a letter with their concerns regarding cuts to Medicaid, high deductibles and a possibility insurers can exclude people with pre-existing conditions.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/protesters-urge-daines-to-vote-against-senate-healthcare-bill/article_c307829e-7f4f-5ac8-b410-017002ccbd95.html
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Daines: Montana's Medicaid expansion could end by 2019 without new federal law
HELENA — Montana’s Republican Sen. Steve Daines said in a call with constituents Wednesday night that Medicaid expansion, which now covers about 79,000 around the state, would likely end in 2019 regardless of a U.S. Senate bill expected to terminate the program by 2026.
When Montana chose to join with 31 other states and expand Medicaid coverage to the working poor in 2015, the Legislature included a sunset clause that requires lawmakers in 2019 to reassess the program.
Daines said he spoke Wednesday with state Sen. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, who helped craft the expansion bill, and Buttrey said he didn’t think legislators would vote to keep the program operating.
“The state of Montana is having a very difficult time affording the amount of spending created because we are blowing out the projections. We’re blowing the budget. We’re busting the budget,” Daines said.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/daines-montana-s-medicaid-expansion-could-end-by-without-new/article_2a22f085-39ea-5729-80b2-414ca86dc2a7.html