Montana has almost 84% of its residents covered by a Health Insurance Policy, but about 16 percent of its residents do not have coverage. This means that almost one in five residents within the state will be in serious financial distress in case of a medical emergency, as it will be very likely that they will have to pay the medical expenses out of their pocked. It doesn’t help that Public Health funding given by the government is low. One of the key issues when it comes to health insurance that the State of Montana needs to work on, if they wish increase the percentage of residents with Health Insurance Coverage, is the accessibility for employers to offer Health Insurance benefits to their workers. The percentage of employers offering these benefits to employees is slightly below the 40% mark, with almost 80% of workers taking advantage of them.

Besides working ward towards increasing the percentage of health insurance coverage among Montana residents, this state is also struggling hard to be an effective and accessible system for residents. Although public health funding is low, the rate of primary care physicians is average, when compared with the rest of the nation, as there are about 1 physician for every 1,000 residents. Whether you have health insurance or not in this state, it’s very likely that you will be able to receive medical care if needed, which is a great thing. Overall, the Health system in Montana has been good, but needs to offer more accessibility to residents when it comes to Insurance Coverage. Federally Qualified Health Centers are available within the state, and attend over twenty percent of residents living under the 200% FPL.

If you are a Montana resident looking for the right Health Insurance plan for you or those close to you, we recommend you to visit the site of Montana’s Insurance Department prior to purchasing any Health Insurance Plans you might be interested in. This Department keeps track of all licensed Insurance companies and agents that are qualified within the state to sell you Health Insurance.

Health Information:

Health Ranking:  #23
State Health Department Web Site: http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/

According to the United Health Foundation, which has ranked all states within the country according to healthiness, Montana is ranked in 2008 as the 23rd healthiest state in America. This number, slightly above the national average, means that Montana has good health practices within the state. Despite falling five spots in the ranking, when to compared to last year, health in Montana is accessible and adequate, but there is always room for improvement.

One of the things the state of Montana could improve and would have a great impact on the state’s health status is their amount of public Health funding per capita, which is $70 per capita. But the major issue in Montana, when it comes to health insurance, is that over 16% of its residents lack Health Insurance coverage. They have a ready and efficient Health Care system, but with so many residents lacking coverage, they do not likely want to use the system, as it is expensive. If Montana can work towards making life better for its people in these two aspects, as well as increasing the percentage of physicians and the percentage of toddlers being covered, things could be even better within the state.

Health Highlights

• Montana has a very low percentage of obesity among its residents. Despite increasing some as compared to last year, the percentage of obesity residents, at 22.6%, is one of the best in the country.


• Montana has the third lowest incidence of infectious disease cases in America, with only 3.9 cases for every 100,000 residents, and a low rate of air pollution, at only 9.1 micrograms of fine particulate per cubic meter.


• Montana’s residents have healthy hearts. The rate of cardiovascular-related fatalities is at 252.4 deaths for every 100,000 residents.


• The percentage of families with children under 18 living in poverty reduced within the past year in Montana.

Health Weaknesses

• One of the state's biggest issues, is the high geographical disparity across the state. Montana has the 4th highest percentage within the country.


• The rate of occupational deaths is also very high in Montana, with almost 1 death for every 10,000 workers.


• Montana’s premature death rate, which is measured in years lost before the age of 75, is one of the things that increased greatly in 2008. Montana has now 7,765 years lost per 100,000 residents.


• Preventive Health measures need to be enforced more, as the incidence of smoking, binge drinking, and the violent crimes rate have all increased within the past year. 

Montana Health Insurance Quotes

In order to save on health insurance in Montana and find the best match for your personal coverage needs, you need more information than any one health insurance company can provide. You need to be able to review quotes from a broad range of Montana health insurance companies and see how their plan rates and benefits stack up. That is why we enable you to choose from a broad range of insurance companies and health insurance plans available in Montana.

Montana Health Insurance News

As a resident of Montana, it’s always important to be informed of the latest events and news regarding Health Insurance in your state. Here are some of the latest headlines that mention Health Care and Health Insurance related topics for Montana:

Montana Insurance and Department of Health Information

If you have any additional questions or need special assistance, feel free to visit or contact Montana’s Insurance Department and Department of Public Health & Human Services directly:

Montana State Auditor's Office/Insurance Department
840 Helena Ave.
Helena, MT 59601
Phone: (406) 444-2040
http://www.sao.state.mt.us/insurance/index.asp

Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services
111 North Sanders Street
Helena, MT 59604
Phone: (406) 444-2596
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/