Tester gathers signatures for Medicaid expansion

Senator: Health care should not be determined by how much someone makes

(BOZEMAN, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement after gathering signatures with volunteers from the Healthy Montana Initiative in support of a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid to 70,000 uninsured Montanans:

“No Montanan should be denied health care because of how much they make. Expanding Medicaid to 70,000 more Montanans will make our state a healthier place to live, strengthen our economy and create jobs. I encourage more folks to support a stronger Montana by signing up in support of this initiative.”

Tester today met folks around Bozeman in support of the initiative – known as I-170. Expanding Medicaid would expand healthcare coverage to Montanans who make up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which is $16,000 per year for an individual and $27,000 per year for a family of three. I-170 would allow the state of Montana to accept federal funds to expand eligibility.

In 2013, the Montana Legislature blocked Medicaid expansion by a single vote.