Op Ed: Medicaid Unwinding

The Area IV Governing Board and Advisory Council oversees older adult services in Broadwater, Gallatin, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Meagher, and Park Counties. We implore Governor Gianforte’s administration to prioritize improved resources to deliver Older Americans Act services in our six counties.

Montana’s Medicaid unwinding process has largely ended, and we are concerned about significant harm and unintended consequences to elders nationwide. Specifically, many older Montanans should never have lost their benefits and were unnecessarily harmed by the DPHHS unwinding process. It was an honorable concept to clean up the Medicaid rolls. Still, we feel Montana went too far in many instances, and the most vulnerable among us faced not only avoidable and unfortunate disruptions in their health care but also life-threatening circumstances. Additionally, the number of redeterminations overwhelmed Montana’s public and private infrastructure. Even though Medicaid unwinding recently concluded, the underlying issues persist and won’t go away without Governor Gianforte’s leadership. Medicaid problems plagued Montana for many years before he took the reins of state government. Unless Montana takes action to do right by the most vulnerable among us, those problems will persist. Montana must plan to improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of Medicaid to support aging services and Montana’s elders.

We request two distinct improvements. First, Area Agencies on Aging need funding increases to keep up with growing demands for older adult services. These agencies cover everything from guiding older Montanans and their families with their home and community-based choices to assisted living and skilled nursing care options. Older Montanans comprise 20% of Montana’s population, and the demand for services quickly outpaces our abilities to serve so many people effectively. Second, we need professionals-only telephone or software access to Medicaid. For example, Montanans could be served far better than they are if only Area Agency on Aging workers could call the Office of Public Assistance regarding a client’s Medicaid information without the long wait time beneficiaries face. Medicaid unwinding sharply brought these improvement needs to our attention. We must find ways to treat Medicaid beneficiaries with dignity. We ask the Governor to please include more funding for Area Agencies on Aging in his Executive Planning Process. We ask that his administration also direct the Office of Public Assistance to develop better tools for private human services as we collaborate.

Thank you for your attention to this important topic. We look forward to working with Governor Gianforte and his administration to ensure a healthy and strong safety net for all Montanans.

ZACH BROWN, Chairman of the Area IV Governing Board

FAYE CHRISTENSEN, Chairman of the Area IV Advisory Council

JIM MARKS, Rocky Agency on Aging Program Director