healthcare

The hospital was also named a Best Regional Hospital and received a high-performing specialty rating in cardiology, heart and vascular surgery, along with high-performing ratings in 14 adult procedures and conditions.

In the spring, the federal government finalized regulations requiring millions of people who receive Medicaid benefits to prove they’re working, volunteering, or going to school to keep their coverage.

Recent studies have linked wildfire smoke exposure to negative birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm birth.

More than 100 people from across the state gathered in the Montana Capitol rotunda on Wednesday to protest cuts to Medicaid as well as new work requirements to access the health insurance program.

Montana health professionals write, "While contractors cite this project as an opportunity to provide jobs in the energy sector and increase fuel security, there needs to be a proper evaluation of the consequences this project could pose to Montana Tribes, residents, and the environment."

Most people on Medicaid expansion will need to show they’re working, in school or doing other qualifying activities in order to remain eligible.

Forty-six percent of U.S. adults — regardless of insurance type — reported struggling to afford healthcare last year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research think tank.

Montana plans to be one of the first states to enforce President Donald Trump’s work mandate for Medicaid enrollees, adding another challenge for state health officials trying to plug a massive budget hole.

Matt Jennings writes, "This tragedy was not inevitable. It was the predictable result of Montana’s deficient mental health system."

The State of Montana received federal approval from the United States Department of Agriculture to ban soft drinks, junk food, and candy from the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.