McLean endorses Bullock's Medicaid expansion plan

Lt. Gov. Angela McLean gave a ringing endorsement of Gov. Steve Bullock's Medicaid expansion Tuesday night, bringing Democratic faithful to their feet several times.

McLean spoke at the Havre Eagles Club. saying the proposal would provide quality health care to middle class families that couldn't afford it otherwise. Opposition, she said, is centered in out-of-state special interest groups funded by "dark money."

Bullock's proposal would extend Medicaid benefits to people who don't make enough money to be covered under the Affordable Care Act, but too much money to secure Medicaid benefits, she said.

"These people are our friends, our relatives," she said.

McLean said she recently visited Barrett Hospital in Dillon, where people have been laid off because of severe budget cuts.

The cuts came about because the hospital ran short of money having to write off so many bills because people can't afford to pay hospital bills, she said.

"Rural hospitals are being crippled by the cost of uncompensated care," she said

Medicaid expansion would cover about 70,000 people statewide, she said, "or about 700 in each Montana House district.

"That includes 700 people here in Stephanie Hess' district," she said.

There was also a standing ovation when McLean acknowledged Havre City Councilwoman Pam Hillery for her battle with ALS.

Hillery recently traveled to Helena to raise awareness about the disease, McLean said.

"She hit it out of the ball park," Mclean said.

McLean said Medicaid expansion is one of the biggest issues facing the Montana Legislature, and she urged the crowd to organize a lobbying effort.

"These lawmakers should know that they will be held accountable," she said.

She told the crowd to call the Legislature's main number, 406-444-4800, and leave a message for every member of the Legislature that they want Medicaid expansion approved.

The Democratic Party should stand up and speak for the women and men who will benefit from Medicaid expansion who haven't been paying attention to the Helena debate "because they are too doggone tired because they are working so hard at their minimum wage jobs."