Lawmakers Consider Study on Federal Funding Changes to Health & Human Services Dept.

As federal headwinds continue to swirl, state legislators are considering a study on how shifting funding will affect Montana’s largest state agency, the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

House Resolution 66, proposed by Rep. SJ Howell, D-Missoula, would set aside time before the next Legislature convenes in 2027 to examine the impacts of federal funding changes to the healthcare system. Howell said the study is a proactive step to address the turbulent federal climate. Federal funding makes up 68.3% of the Montana DPHHS budget and either fully pays or partially pays for more tha...