Right now, Medicaid—the public health insurance program that covers over 212,000 Montanans—is under serious threat. Across the country, federal lawmakers are proposing $880 billion in Medicaid cuts. These cuts won’t just hit some abstract system or federal balance sheet—they will fall directly on working families, seniors, veterans, and kids right here in Montana.
And unfortunately, our state’s Republican leadership isn’t fighting to protect us. Instead, they’re doing what politicians so often do: playing both sides while quietly hoping someone else takes the fall.
The Truth Behind the Medicaid “Extension”
Earlier this year, the Montana Legislature passed a bill carried by Great Falls Republican, Ed Buttrey, to extend the current sunset provision for Medicaid. If you just skim the headlines, that might sound like a win. But if you’ve been paying attention to the budget language and political signals, it’s anything but.
What’s really happening is this: Montana Republicans are counting on the federal government to cut Medicaid funding. They extended Medicaid on paper, but they’re banking on D.C. to gut the program so that they don’t have to vote for those cuts themselves.
It’s a political sleight of hand letting Washington do the dirty work. Then, when Montanans lose coverage, they’ll throw up their hands and say, “Well, we tried. Blame Congress.” Don’t buy it. The reality is, if the federal match for Medicaid disappears, so does the coverage for thousands of Montanans. And the Montana Legislature has no plan to fill that gap. None.
What That Means for Real People
Medicaid is not a handout. It’s not charity. It’s a vital part of how we take care of our neighbors and ourselves when life gets hard. It’s how we ensure:
- A single mom working two part-time jobs can still take her child to the doctor.
- A retired construction worker who worked his whole life but didn’t earn enough to save isn’t bankrupted by one hospital stay.
- A veteran who served this country has access to treatment, even if their VA benefits don’t fully cover their needs.
- A pregnant woman in a rural town can receive prenatal care without driving four hours round trip.
In Montana, 71% of adults on Medicaid are working. They are cleaning our schools, and hospitals, providing day care, stocking our shelves, cooking our food, taking care of our grandparents and parents.
Political Cowardice Dressed Up as Responsibility
Montana Republicans love to talk about personal responsibility and rural values. But there’s nothing responsible about cutting healthcare for working people. There’s nothing “pro-life” about making it harder for pregnant women to access care. And there’s nothing conservative about forcing our small-town hospitals to close due to budget shortfalls.
If you want to talk about work ethic, let’s talk about the thousands of Montanans who work full-time but still don’t earn enough to afford private insurance.
If you want to talk about values, let’s talk about how much it says about a society when it leaves its most vulnerable behind.
We Deserve Better
Montanans deserve better than backdoor politics and budget games.
We deserve leaders who understand that healthcare isn’t a luxury—it’s a right. We deserve legislators who will fight for the people who put them in office, not just the ones who bankroll their campaigns. And we deserve to be told the truth—not manipulated with headlines and hollow promises.
Because the consequences are very real.
If the federal match goes away and our state leaders refuse to step up, coverage will disappear.
Medicaid is a lifeline for one in five Montanans. It’s woven into the fabric of our communities. Cutting it isn’t just bad politics; it’s a betrayal of everything we claim to stand for.
Montana Republicans are betting that we won’t notice. That we won’t care. That we’ll accept the spin.
Let’s prove them wrong.
Let’s remind them that in Montana, we take care of our own.
What You Can Do
- Pick up the phone.
- Senator Steve Daines, Great Falls Office 406-453-0148
- Senator Tim Sheehy, Great Falls Office- 406-452-9587
- Write your representatives.
- Attend a rally or town hall.
- Send an email.
- Steve Daines- https://www.daines.senate.gov/services/email-steve/
- Tim Sheehy- https://www.sheehy.senate.gov/share-your-opinion/
- Talk to your neighbors.
- Share this blog.
Remind them that we are watching. That we vote. That we expect better from those who claim to represent us.
Jeannie Hansen is a third-generation Montanan. Along with her advocacy work, she currently ranches east of Great Falls. She is lifelong advocate with a passion for justice, dignity, and community care. Raised in Great Falls, she found her voice early—championing seniors, working families, and underserved populations since her school days. With over 15 years in social work and nonprofits, Jeannie has built a career rooted in public service, legislative advocacy, and hands-on support for those navigating complex systems like Medicaid. Her work has taken her from the halls of the Capitol to the dirt roads of rural Montana, always guided by a fierce commitment to fairness and a deep love for her home state.
This editorial is based on comments Jeannie Hansen made at a Medicare Rally organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Great Falls on April 29th, 2025.