We, the undersigned residents of Montana, urge you to protect the health of our state by renewing Montana’s Medicaid Expansion. Letting this critical program expire would be catastrophic for mental health care access, especially for low-income Montanans who depend on it. Here’s what’s at stake:

Loss of Coverage for Thousands: Medicaid Expansion has provided over 78,800 Montanans with access to essential mental health care. Losing this coverage would mean untreated mental health conditions for thousands, leading to preventable crises and devastating consequences.

Financial Barriers to Treatment: Medicaid currently reduces or eliminates out-of-pocket costs, making mental health care affordable for low-income residents. Without it, these individuals would face insurmountable financial barriers, forcing them to delay or skip treatment altogether, leading to worsened conditions and higher long-term costs.

Reduced Access to Critical Medications: Medicaid has enabled thousands to afford essential prescriptions for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Without this support, many would lose access to medications that are critical for their stability and well-being, resulting in more untreated mental illness across Montana.

Impact on Mental Health Providers and Clinics: Clinics and providers have adapted to serve the expanded Medicaid population. Rolling back Medicaid would reduce patient access, threatening clinic closures and severely limiting service availability, especially in rural Montana where options are already scarce.

Worsening Social Determinants of Health: Medicaid addresses social factors linked to mental illness, like poverty. Canceling this support would push vulnerable Montanans further into hardship, increasing the very stressors that drive poor mental health outcomes.

Ending Medicaid Expansion would be a severe setback to Montana’s progress on mental health care. The program doesn’t just help individuals; it strengthens our communities and healthcare infrastructure.

We urge you to stand with Montanans by supporting the renewal of Medicaid Expansion, ensuring that mental health services remain accessible for all who need them.