LTE: Medicaid expansion, access to care
I’m the clinical administrator at Winds of Change Mental Health Center in Missoula. We’ve seen our number of clients accessing health care services more than double since the end of 2015. This is in large part due to Medicaid expansion. Our agency has created dozens of new jobs as a result of the increased client numbers. We’ve hired double the number of therapists and case managers, and our need for support staff and group home staff has tripled.
Because of expanded Medicaid, we’ve been able to provide services to people who are working lower wage jobs and do not get health coverage through their employer. These Montanans had never been able to get help because their issues “weren’t bad enough” for them to be classified disabled or get involved in the system — or they just couldn’t afford it.
Montanans deserve access to the care they need regardless of social or economic status. We all benefit when our neighbors are able to live healthy, stable lives. The legislature should not add more barriers to enrollment for Medicaid. There are better ways to help people find steady work — like high-quality job training, child care, higher education and better community support.