Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
Does Kim Fleming, the Democratic nominee in House District 11 (map), oppose expanding Medicaid in Montana? According to Carla Augustad, the Democrats’ three-time nominee in old HD-10, much of which is included in HD-11, the answer is: yes.
Augustad made her unattributed allegation on 8 September on her new website, Ninja Gobi Bear Mining:
If you care about this, the way that I do, please get behind your local candidates, but ask them what they will do first! For instance, Kim Flemming (sic) in House District 11 does not support any Medicaid expansion. The two people MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR DENYING 70,000 working Montanan’s access to affordable healthcare are Mark Blasdel and David Howard. It is my heartfelt desire that Mark Blasdel and David Howard get to spend this winter safely at home with their own families rather than working to deny resources to vulnerable Montana families. [Highlighting added.]
Fleming, who’s running in a district she’s in no danger of winning, still has not responded to an email inquiry from Flathead Memo.
The Montana Democratic Party’s platform explicitly supports expanding Medicaid in Montana:
We will explore affordable and comprehensive prescription drug benefit opportunities for all Montanans.
Health care policies must be designed to recognize and respond to the needs of all Montanans, regardless of age, gender, income, health status or place of residence, especially rural Montanans and Montanans not yet eligible for Medicare.
Health insurance programs should encourage people to exercise preventative care.
Health insurance plans in Montana must provide coverage parity for mental health services and substance use disorder.
Any changes to Medicaid must preserve adequate coverage for low-income Montanans currently covered.
Information about options for appropriate health programs and benefits should be provided to Montanans in a simple, understandable way.
We support the Healthy Montana Kids Plan and its inclusion of strategies for effectively enrolling eligible, uninsured children through schools, hospitals, YMCAs, Head Start programs, and other public and private “enrollment partners.”
We support the health insurance reforms of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 that guarantee insurance coverage regardless of health status, that end insurance company abuses and that allow families to keep children covered under their parents’ health insurance until age 26 and keep permanent the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act.
We support changes to the Affordable Care Act of 2010 that increase affordability and access to Montanans, that help control health care costs and that help businesses provide insurance to their employees.
We support the expansion of Medicaid to all low-income Montanans as allowed by federal law.
We support the WIC program in all Montana counties.
We support full inclusion of people with disabilities and Montana’s senior citizens in our communities through a well-funded network of community based services.
We support Montanans’ access to preventative and family planning services, through the statewide network of publicly subsidized entities.