Telehealth
Expand access to care through the use of telehealth and other technologies by providing Medicaid coverage and reimbursement for such services and including telehealth waivers in all new care models.
- Sponsor legislation to make permanent the temporary waivers that expanded telehealth access, services and providers
- Support legislation that expands digital infrastructure and rural broadband
Access to Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
The average Montanan will have need of an ambulance service at least twice in his or her lifetime according to the state EMS and Trauma Systems Program. For those living or traveling in rural communities, access to EMS services is difficult and is jeopardy in many communities. Counties and hospitals providing EMS have struggled with dependence on an aging volunteer workforce and a lack of resources to fund paid personnel.
- Support changes to the licensure and certification of EMS professionals permitting them to be used more effectively in hospitals and available for hospital-based EMS programs
- Support changes to licensing and certification of EMS professionals to permit the articulation of military medical training towards Emergency Care Provider (ECP) licensure
- Support realignment of EMS licensure from Department of Labor and Industry to DPHHS
Tax Reforms
The vast majority of hospital and clinic services are provided by not-for-profit organizations. Each of these providers is licensed by the state and recognized as a charitable organization by section 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In return for the state and federal exemption, hospitals agree to provide a community benefit that includes a host of services for which there is little or no compensation. Without the tax exemption, most not-for-profit healthcare organizations would cease to exist, leaving large areas of the state and population without needed healthcare. MHA will protect the tax status of its not-for-profit members and appropriately address any policy proposals that threaten tax exemptions.
- Oppose changes that would further restrict or unnecessarily burden the tax-exempt status of not-for-profit healthcare organizations
- Oppose increased property tax singled out for healthcare organizations
- Support tax credits for construction of healthcare workforce housing
- Support extending the qualified endowment tax credit
Senior Services / Post-Acute Care
MHA serves a number of post-acute care and senior services providers, including hospital-based programs. In addition to Medicaid funding and workforce concerns there will be other ‘specific’ legislative proposals during the session. MHA support bills that enhance these service areas, and will oppose bills that add regulatory and administrative burden.
- Support decrease in state regulatory burden
- Pursue/support tax credit for building affordable senior housing
- Support elimination of state tax on social security
- Support/pursue changes to the Medicaid program to provide needed resources for Montanans that suffer from Alzheimer’s or related dementias
- Support reforms to Medicaid allowing a nursing facility to be an originating telehealth site
- Support adoption of Uniform Guardianship Law