A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

26 March 2015

Ominous quotes on Medicaid expansion in Montana

Is Gov. Bullock supporting SB-405, Sen. Ed Buttrey’s (R-Great Falls) bill that would hurt 165,600 current Montana Medicaid recipients to help approximately 70,000 richer (but still poor) Montanans? An article in Salon yesterday, written by Montana Deputy Secretary of State Eric Stern, suggests that might be the case:

This past week, one of those GOP legislators defied the AFP bullies a step further, putting forth his own Medicaid expansion bill. Democrats, including the governor, are supporting it. At the hearing, the sponsor asked: “Why would we refuse to accept federal funds we have given the federal government in the form of taxes? It’s our money.” Nobody had an answer.

Stern fails to identify the legislator — how did that omission get by Salon’s editors? — but the context suggests he’s writing about Sen. Buttrey.

Buttrey’s bill is not progressive legislation. Here’s how Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick (R-Great Falls) described it to the Great Falls Tribune:

Fitzpatrick…said he likes the looks of Sen. Ed Buttrey’s Medicaid plan, which had its first hearing last week.

“It’s the most conservative Medicaid plan ever introduced in the history of this country,” he said. “Sen. Buttrey has gone about it the right way.”

Fitzpatrick is right — and if Democrats support SB-405 as introduced, they’re wrong.