Montana coronavirus report
The latest news and information on the coronavirus pandemic in Montana, including updated case count maps and original in-depth reporting.
Latest health Reporting
With delays, a ripple of impacts
How slow COVID-19 test results complicate life for public health workers and patients.
Months into pandemic, concern persists for homeless people
The COVID-19 pandemic, for many shelters and residents, has proven to be a distinct challenge compared to other disasters, such as fires or floods. Part of the difficulty comes from a tangled web of bureaucratic procedures and relief funds at the federal, state and local levels. But nearly five months into the crisis, some providers also describe feeling forgotten or misunderstood by policy makers, to the detriment of the populations they serve.
Hard to help
McCully and other Montana public health officials said the number of people who are not cooperating with contact tracers is small, but that they waste valuable resources when they mislead nurses and pose a risk to others when they ignore health officials’ requests for information. Lack of cooperation is also taking a toll on public health nurses who are working long hours in the midst of a pandemic.
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MORE HEALTH COVERAGE
Could a Japanese-style elder care program work in Montana?
Twenty years ago, the world’s oldest nation implemented an innovative social tax to support its aging citizens — and to free younger generations from some of the burdens of age. Could the model work in Montana?
Bullock announces emergency testing order for assisted living facilities
The same day health officials announced a coronavirus outbreak at a Billings assisted living facility, Gov. Steve Bullock said Tuesday that his public health department will order all assisted living and nursing home facilities in the state to test all employees and residents before allowing any more visitors.
How the world’s oldest nation cares for its elderly
Montana, the oldest state in the western United States, faces many of the same problems as Japan, the world’s oldest country. Might there be solutions for Montana from what looks to be a successful experiment enacted two decades ago to help pay for elder care in Japan?
Mask use on the rise
A new survey reports strong compliance with public health recommendations in Montana.
The peak that wasn’t
How Montana avoided the worst of COVID-19, and how that success could be undone.
Is pandemic time the right time to make Medicaid recipients look for jobs?
Montana’s new Medicaid work requirement is still pending federal approval to go into effect. In the meantime, enrollment has increased for the first time in over a year.
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MORE HEALTH REPORTING
Disputed Medicaid audit gets a hearing
The audit, which concludes that sloppy Medicaid administration could result in an $84 million liability for the state, got a frosty reception from health department officials, governor’s aides and their Democratic allies.
Outside the boxes
Health care professionals anticipate a pandemic-induced mental health crisis. Some doctors think prescriptions for time in nature can help.
‘A window has been opened’
BOZEMAN — Mindy Misener said she’s always been supportive of her friends who have delivered babies at home under the guidance of a midwife, but it wasn’t something she envisioned for herself. She had been planning to give birth in a hospital and sought care from a provider at Bozeman Health early in her pregnancy. […]
What Montana’s governor’s race means for reproductive health
Legislative Republicans have long tried to restrict abortion access. If a Republican takes the governor’s seat, they’re likely to get their wish.
Returning to roots
The Fort Belknap Indian Health Service hospital is seeking applicants for two traditional practitioner positions — the first of their kind in Montana.
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