Montana Medicaid Expansion: Do I Qualify for Medicaid Under the ACA?

 

Not all states have expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Learn where Montana stands.

ADVERTISEMENT


.
 

The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) expanded Medicaid eligibility to include more people who couldn’t otherwise obtain health insurance. As written, the ACA would extend Medicaid to all adults with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level. (For a single person in Montana in 2023, that’s $20,120. For a family of four, it’s $41,400.)

However, the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that it was up to individual states to decide whether to expand Medicaid. As of December 2023, only 10 states have not expanded their programs. 

Montana Has Expanded Medicaid

Montana expanded its Medicaid program in 2016. The state uses a plan called Montana HELP to make Medicaid available for adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. (The rules of pregnant women and children, unfortunately, are higher and remain governed by Montana's older Medicaid rules.)

Montana's Medicaid rules require some recipients to pay 2% of their income in premiums. The state says this averages about $26 per month. If you earn more than the poverty level, you can be disenrolled for failing to pay your premiums. If your income is below the poverty level, you won't be disenrolled but your past-due premiums can be deducted from your state income tax returns.

Montana wants to impose a work requirement for Medicaid but that plan is still pending federal review.

Find Out What Health Plans and Programs You Qualify For

To learn whether you're eligible for Medicaid in Montana, contact the Montana Medicaid office.

You can also find out whether you qualify when you apply for health insurance at Healthcare.gov. If you don’t meet Montana’s Medicaid requirements, Healthcare.gov will show you the private health insurance plans available to you. You may still be eligible for significant cost-saving subsidies based on your income and family size.

For more information, see Ways to Save Money on Obamacare in Montana.


ADVERTISEMENT




Jurisdictional relevance: ST

There are versions of this article for each State.



Speak with a Health Insurance Expert 800-943-6832Ads by +HealthNetwork